Page:Federal Reporter, 1st Series, Volume 6.djvu/839

 UNITED STATES V. SLATBR. 827 �Toter's residence, as is contained in theipreceding constitu- tion, as above shown. The constitution of 1870 also pro- vided that only such as were "duly registered" could vote. Onr present constitution provides that "no law shall ever be «nacted requiring a registration of the voters of this state, " and this provision occurs in a section which says: "In ail elections by the people the vote shall be by ballot, and the legislature shall provide for the numbering of tickets, and make such other regulations as may be necessary to detect and punish f raud and preserve the purity of the ballot-box ; but no law shall ever be enacted requiring a registration of the voters of this state." This section, to my mind, fuUy explains (if it needed other explanation than is furnished by common observation and experience) the provision hereto- fore noticed that "ail electors shall vote in the election pre- «inct of their residence." �But if, being a citizen of the United States, a residence of one year in the state, and the last six months next before the election within the district, will give him a right to vote in the election precinct in which he resides, for what officers can he vote ? Our present constitution provides, (article 6, § 3 :) "AU qualified electors of the state, * * * ■^ho shall have resided for six months immediately preceding an election within the limits of any city or corporate town, shall have the right to vote for mayor and ail other elective officers." It is clear that a residence in the district for six months does not give the right to vote for city or town officers, unless the resi- dence bas been in said city or town; and, by parity of reason- ing, such residence would not give the right to vote for county officers unless said six-months' residence had been within the county; and, by a like parity of reasoning, such residence would give the privilege of voting for district offi- cers and for state officers, he having the other qualifications, and having resided the required six months in the district, and the required one year in the state, next before the elec- tion, and duly presenting himself in the election precinct in which he resides. And this rational conclusion is made irre- sistibly strong by the previens uniform practice of permitting ��� �