Chap. 73.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 62 of the Code prescribing
the qualifications of voters in special and local option elections.

Approved February 25, 1908.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section
sixty-two of chapter eight of the Code of Virginia, as amended by an
act approved March twelfth, nineteen hundred and four, entitled “an
act to amend and re-enact section sixty-two of chapter eight of the Code
of Virginia, as amended by an act approved December eighth, nineteen
hundred and three, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

§62. Qualifications of voters, disqualifications.—Every male citizen of
the United States twenty-one years old, who has been a resident of the
State for two years, of the county, city or town one year, and of the
precinct in which he offers to vote thirty days next preceding the elec-
tion, and who has been duly registered and has paid his State poll tax,
as required by law, and is otherwise qualified under the Constituion and
laws of this State, shall be entitled to vote for members of the general
assembly and all officers elected by the people; but the removal from
one precinct to another in the same county, city or town shall not
deprive any person of his right to vote in the precinct from which he
has moved until the expiration of thirty days from such removal: pro-
vided, that the following persons shall be excluded from registering
and voting: Idiots, insane persons, and paupers; persons who, prior to
the adoption of the Constitution, were disqualified from voting by con-
viction of crime, either within or without this State, and whose disa-
bilities shall not have been removed ; persons convicted after the adoption
of the Constitution, either within or without this State, of treason or
of felony, bribery, petit larceny, obtaining money or other property
under false pretences, embezzlement, forgery, or perjury; persons who,
while citizens of this State after the adoption of the Constitution, have
fought a duel with a deadly weapon or sent or accepted a challenge to
fight such a duel, either within or without this State, or knowingly
conveyed a challenge, or aided or assisted in any way in the fighting of
such duel: provided, also, that no officer, soldier, seaman or marine of
the United States army or navy shall be deemed to have gained a resi-
dence as to the right of suffrage in the State, or in any county, city or
town thereof, by reason of his being stationed therein, nor shall any
inmate of any charitable institution or a student in any institution of
learning be regarded as having either gained or lost a residence, as to
the right of suffrage, by reason of his location or sojourn in such insti-
tution.

The qualifications of voters at any special election or any local option
election shall be such as are hereinabove prescribed for voters at general
elections: provided, that at any such special or local option election held
on or before the second Tuesday in June in any year any person shall
be qualified to vote who is otherwise qualified and has personally paid
at least six months prior to the second Tuesday in June of that year
all State poll taxes assessed, or assessable, against him during the three
years next preceding that in which such special or local option election
is held; and, provided, that at any such special or local option election
held after the second Tuesday in June in any year any person shall be
qualified to vote who is, or was, qualified to vote at the regular election
held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of that year.
The term, special election, as used in this section, shall be construed to
include such elections as are held in pursuance of a special law as well
as such as are held to fill a vacancy in any office, whether the same be
filled by the qualified voters of the State or of any county, corporation,
magisterial district or ward.

2. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby
repealed.

3. In view of the fact that certain special or local option elections
will take place before this act can become a law in regular course, an
emergency exists, and this act shall be in force from its passage.