QUALIFICATIONS OF

CHAPTER XXVI.

ELECTORS-NATURALIZATION

EIGNERS.

OF FOR

The right to vote is called the right of suffrage. Persons who have the right to make choice of public officers, and to vote, are called electors.

Every male citizen of the United States, except idiots or insane persons, of the age of twenty-one years, who shall have been a resident of the State one year next preceding the election, and the county, township or ward, in which he resides, such time as is provided by law, shall have the qualifications of an elector.

By law, persons to become electors, must have resided in the State for one year next preceding the election, and in the county for thirty days next preceding the election, and in the township, incorporated village or ward of a city or village for twenty days next preceding the election, at which such person shall offer to vote. But a voter, being the head of a family who removes from one part of the county to another is not required to reside at his new home, to entitle him to vote, for any particular length of time, except that he cannot vote at city or village elections unless he shall have resided therein twenty days prior to such election.

Persons born in other countries are called aliens; and to become citizens must be naturalized. To accomplish this, the person desiring to become a citizen must go be

fore the court or the clerk thereof, two years before he can be admitted as a citizen, and declare on oath, in writing, that he intends to become a citizen of the United States, and to renounce his allegiance to his former government; and he must declare on oath that he will support the constitution of the United States. Then, two years thereafter,. the court, if satisfied as to his moral character and loyalty, and that he has resided in the United States for five years, and in the State or Territory where the court is held, for one year, may admit him as a citizen.

Persons residing within and under the jurisdiction of the United States, at any time between the 18th of June, 1778, and April 14th, 1802, and who have continued to reside therein, are exempt from the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Any alien being a minor, who arrives in the United States when not over eighteen years of age, and continues to reside therein, may, after he arrives at the age of twenty-one years, and after he shall have resided five years within the United States, be admitted as a citizen, without having made the usual declaration three years previous to his admission; but this declaration must be made at the time of his admission, and he must declare to the court on oath, and prove that for three years next preceding, it has been his intention to become a citizen of the United States.

When an alien, who shall have complied with the provisions of paragraph four, of this chapter, relative to declaring his intention, shall die before being naturalized, his widow and children shall be considered citizens of the United States, and entitled to all the privileges as such,. upon taking the oath prescribed by law.

Aliens having borne any hereditary title, or been of any of the orders of nobility in the Kingdom or State from which they came, must renounce such title, or order of nobility, before they can be admitted as citizens of the United States.

When at war with another nation, the United States government will not admit to citizenship, the citizens, subjects, or denizens of such nation.

As to the provisions of law concerning aliens residing in the United States prior to 1812, the student is referred to the abstract of the laws of the United States, to be found at page XVI of the introduction to the Revised Statutes of Ohio, by Swan and Critchfield; also to be found at page 100 of Curwen's Revised Statutes.

The children of naturalized persons, being under the age of twenty-one years at the time of their parents being naturalized, shall, if dwelling in the United States, be considered as citizens thereof.

Children of persons who are or have been citizens of the United States, though born elsewhere, are considered as citizens of the United States.

Any alien, of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, who has enlisted or shall enlist in the armies of the United States, either the regular or the volunteer forces, and has been, or shall be hereafter, honorably discharged, may be admitted to become a citizen of the United States, upon his petition, without any previous declaration of his intention to become a citizen of the United States; and he shall not be required to prove more than one year's residence within the United States previous to his application to become such citizen; and

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the court admitting such alien, shall, in addition to such proof of residence and good moral character, as is now provided by law, be satisfied, by competent proof, of such person having been honorably discharged from the service of the United States as aforesaid.

Aliens may be admitted to citizenship by any court. of record having common law jurisdiction, and a seal, or clerk or prothonotary.

Questions-What is the right to vote called? Who are called electors? Who are electors in Ohio? What is an alien? How are aliens naturalized ? What is said of residents of the United States between June 18th, 1778, and April 14th, 1802? Of alien minors who arrive in this country while under the age of eighteen years? Of the widow and children of aliens who die before being fully admitted to citizenship? Of aliens having hereditary titles, or belonging to orders of nobility? When will certain aliens not be admitted? What is said of the minor children of naturalized persons? Of children of American citizens, born in other countries? What is said of the naturalization of persons who have enlisted in the military service of the United States, and been honorably discharged? In what courts may aliens be admitted to citizenship?

CHAPTER XXVII.

ELECTIONS-HOW CONDUCTED CHALLENGE OF PERSONS OFFERING TO VOTE.

In order that the government may be administered, it is necessary that officers should be elected for that purpose.

As the duties of some of these officers pertain to the whole State, we call them State officers; those whose du

ties are limited to the county we call county officers; and those whose duties are limited to and pertain to the government of the townships, cities or villages, we call township, city or village officers, as the case may be.

These officers, as well as the military officers of the State, are required, before entering upon the duties of their office, to take a solemn oath to support the constitution of the State and of the United States, and to discharge the duties of their respective offices faithfully.

State and county officers are elected on the second Tuesday of October, and city, village and township officers are elected on the first Monday of April of each year.

Questions affecting the interests of the people, other than the mere election of officers, are often voted upon and determined by them at the elections.

As a matter of covenience the State is divided into election districts or precincts. Each ward of a city or village composes an election district; and each of the townships, exclusive of the territory embraced within the limits of any city or village divided into wards. Some of the larger townships, however, are divided into two or more election districts.

It is necessary that judges should preside at all elections, to receive the ballots offered, and to discharge such duties in relation thereto as the law prescribes.

The electors required by law to act as judges are designated in the act of the General Assembly of 1870. See Session Laws of 1870, page 47.

Ballot-boxes are provided for each election precinct, in which the ballots of the electors are deposited.