Chap. 271.—An ACT to enforce the constitutional amendments restrict-
ing the right of suffrage to citizens who shall have paid to the state
before the day of election, the capitation tax required by law for the
preceding year, and to amend and re-enact chapter 7 of the Code.

Approved April 2, 1877.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
sections one, four, six, and ten, of chapter seven, of the Code
of eighteen hundred and seventy-three, be amended and re-
enacted so as to read as follows:

§ 1. Every male citizen of the United States, twenty ono
years old, who sball have been a resident of this state for
twelve months, and of the county, city, or town in which he
shall offer to vote, three months next preceding any election,
and who shall be a registered voter in, and a resident of the
election district in which he shall offer to vote, and shall have
paid to the state before the day of clection the capitation
tax required by law for the preceding year, shall be entitled
to vote for members of the general assembly, and all officers
elected by the people: provided that no otticer, soldicr. sea-
man, or marine, of the United States army or navy, sball be
considered a resident of this state by reason of beinu sta-
tioned therein: and provided also, that the following person
shall be excluded from voting:

First. Idiots and lunatics.

Second. Persons convicted of bribery in any clection, em-
bezzlement of public funds, treason, felony, or petit larceny.

Third. No person who, while a citizen of this state, has-
since the adoption of the present constitution of this state,
fought a duel with a deadly weapon, sent or accepted a chal-
lenge to fight a duel with a deadly weapon, either within or
beyond the boundaries of this state, or knowingly conveyed
a challenge, or aided or assisted in any manner in fightirg a
duel, shall be allowed to vote, unless the disabilities incurred
thereby sball have been removed by the general assembly, by
a two-third’s vote. It shall not be lawful for the voters of
the city of Lynchburg, living within the corporate limits of
said city, as defined by the act approved December nincteen,
eigbteen hundred and seventy, and entitled an act to extend
and define the boundaries of the city of Lynchburg, to vote
at any election of county treasurer, commonwealth's attor-
ney, Sheriff, clerks, superintendent of poor, or surveyor for
the county of Campbell.

§ 4. Each registrar so appointed and qualified as hereinaf-
ter provided, shall register all male citizens of his election
district who shall apply to be registered, and who shall be of
the age of twenty-one years at the first election to be held
after the registration, and who are citizens of the United
States, and shall have resided in the state twelve months, and
in the county, city, or town, in which they propose to regis-
ter, three months next preceding any election at which they
may offer to vote: provided that no officer, soldier, seaman,
or marine, of the United States army or navy, shall be con-
sidered a resident of the state by reason of being stationed
therein: and provided also, that idiots and lunatics, persons
convicted of bribery in any election, embezzlement of public
tunds, treason, felony, or petit larceny; and any person who,
while a citizen of this state, has, since the adoption of the
present constitution, fought a duel with a deadly weapon,
sent or accepted a challenge to fight a duel with a deadly
weapon, either within or beyond the boundaries of this state,
or knowingly conveyed a challenge, or assisted in any man-
ner in fighting a duel, unless the disabilities incurred thereby
have been removed, shall not be registered as voters: and
provided furtber, that in the event that any person claiming
to be a naturalized citizen of the United States, shall not be
able to establish the date of his papers, or the court in which
they were issued, by reason of his having lost the same, or
for any other cause, then his oath or affirmation to the fact
that he has been duly naturalized, shall be accepted, and shall
entitle him to register.

§ 6. Before any registrar shall register the name of any
person as a voter, he shall be satisfied of bis qualification as
heretofore prescribed; and all persons applying for reci-tra-
tion shall, before they are registered, take and subscribe the
following oath: “I, , do solemnly swear (or
affirm) that I am not disqualified from exercising the right
of suffrage by the constitution-of Virginia;’ which oath, so
subscribed, shall be filed with the registrar and preserved
with the books of registration.

§ 10. The clerk of the county court, and hustinzs or cor-
poration court, shall, at each registration, deliver to each
registrar in his county or city, a list of all voters who have
died, or wbo have been convicted of felony or petit larceny
since last registration. Aud it shall be the duty of the regis-
trar to correct his list in accordance with the list thus fur-
nished before proceeding with the registration ; and be shall
strike from the list of voters the name of any person con-
victed of felony or petit larceny, upon the production before
him of a certificate of the clerk of a court of competent
jurisdiction that he has been convicted of felony, or con-
victed of petit larceny, since December first, eighteen han-
dred and seventy-six, in such court, or has been so convicted
by a mayor, police justice, or justice of the peace in the
county or corporation wherein is the court to which said
clerk belongs; unless said person shall produce a pardon
from the governor, or a certificate from the keeper of the
rolls that his disabilities have been removed by the general
assembly. |

2. This act shall be in force from its passage.