Chapter 363. To prescribe certain of the qualifications of voters in the Territory of Alaska, and for other purposes
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CHAP. 363.— An Act To prescribe certain of the qualifications of voters in the Territory of Alaska, and for other purposes.March 3, 1927.[[H. R. 9211](/us/bill/69/hr/9211).][[Public, No. 766](/us/pl/69/766).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,Alaska. Reading the Constitution, and writing English a qualification for voters at any election in. That from and after the passage of this Act no person shall become or be an elector or voter at any general election, any special election, or any primary election, held in the Territory of Alaska for the purpose of electing or nominating any person or persons to or for the office of Delegate 1393 to the House of Representatives of the United States from the Territory of Alaska, or to or for the office of Senator or member of the house of representatives of the Alaska Territorial Legislature, or to or for any other elective Territorial, municipal, or school office in the Territory of Alaska, unless such proposed voter or elector at the time of any such election and prior to voting thereat shall be able to read in the English language the Constitution of the United States and to write in the English language: *Provided*,*Provisos*.
Physically disabled excepted. That the requirements of this Act shall hot apply to any person who is incapacitated from complying therewith by physical disability only: *And provided further*, That this Act shall not applyLegal voters in 1924 excepted. to any citizen who has legally voted at tire general election of November 4, 1924. Sec. 2. That no person without the ability to read and write asVoting prohibited, if not so qualified. herein required shall vote at any such election, except as provided in section 1 of this Act; nor shall any election officer knowinglyChallenges, etc. permit any person without such ability to vote at any such education; and the inability of any person to so read and write shall constitute a sufficient ground of challenge to such person’s voting by any qualified election officer or qualified elector or duly appointed watcher.
Sec. 3. That the ability to so read and write as herein providedTests of ability to read and write.Personally signing name, etc., in poll book. shall be evidenced as follows: Every person, except as otherwise provided in section 1 of this Act, desiring to vote at any such election, before being permitted to vote, shall, without the aid or assistance of any person whomsoever, legibly sign his or her own full name, and write his or her own sex and address, in the registration or poll book, and, if he or she appears to the electionReading in presence of election officers if challenged. officers, or any of them, not to have the ability to read and write as herein required or if he or she be challenged upon the ground of inability to read and write as herein required, then he or she shall be required, before voting, to read in the English language publicly and in the presence of the election officers and under the direction of the election officers or some one of them a passage of not less than ten lines chosen at random by the election officers or some or one of them from the Constitution of the United States, and to legibly write in the English language a passage of not fewer that ten consecutive words chosen at random by the election officers or some or one of them from the Constitution of the United States, and dictated by one of the election officers to such proposed voter.
Sec. 4. That no person claiming to be exempt from the provisionsPhysical disability exemptions restricted. of this Act by reason of physical disability shall be permitted to vote at any such election unless it is apparent to the election officers that such physical disability exists, and that except for such physical disability the proposed voter would be able to read and write in the English language as herein required. Sec. 5. That whenever any voter proves himself to be physicallyMarking ballot, etc., for physically disabled voter. incapable of marking his ballot, one of the election judges may enter the voting booth with him and mark his ballot as directed by the voter.
Such judge shall not disclose to any person the marking of the ballot. The judges of election shall make a return of all persons whoseReturn to be made of ballots so marked. ballots are marked for them as provided in this section, stating the names of such persons and describing the disability of each, which return shall be signed by all of the judges. Sec. 6. That any person who is refused permission to vote atPerson refused permission at any precinct barred from voting at any other, etc. any election in any precinct by the election officers of such precinct on the ground that the proposed voter is unable to read and write in the English language as herein required, shall not again attempt 1394 to vote, or be permitted to vote, in the same or any other precinct at the same election.
Sec. 7.United States residents fora year entitled to vote, if able to read or write English. That all citizens of the United States, twenty-one years of age and over, who are actual and bona fide residents of Alaska, and who have been such residents continuously during the entire year immediately preceding the election, and who have been such residents continuously for thirty days next preceding the election in the precinct in which they vote, and who are able to read and write the English language as herein prescribed and provided, and who are not barred from voting by any other provision of law, shall be qualified to vote at any of the elections herein mentioned.
Sec. 8.Punishment for violations. That any person who violates any of the provisions of this Act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500, or by imprisonment in jail for not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Approved, March 3, 1927.