Enrollment of absentee voters and getting ballots into their hands is a considerable problem for those directing the election machinery for the Democratic primary July 25 and the details involved leave the public occasionally confused. The primary rules provided that the name of a person, otherwise qualified to vote, and who is absent from the state or who can not enroll because of sickness, may be enrolled by a kinsman or friend. The rule reads:

“10 (a). That any person, who because of absence from the State or illness, is unable to go to the place where the enrollment book is kept for the purpose of entering his or her name thereon shall be permitted to send to the club secretary or the county secretary an application in writing signed by the person, a kinsman or friend, forms for which will be printed asking that his or her name be placed upon the enrollment book; and that in cases where such application or applications are in order the club secretary or county secretary shall cause the enrollment of such persons, and shall attest the enrollment by his signature.

“That for and during the period the United States is at war, and for one year thereafter all persons who are serving in the armed forces of the United States or employed in goverment operated defense establishments or reservations wheresoever located, and all memebers of the immediate family of persons who are serving in the armed forces of the United States or employed in government operated defense establishments or reservation wheresoever located and who are otherwise qualified to vote in Democratic primaries, and who, because of absence from their places of residence are unable to go to the place where the enrollment book is kept for the purpose of entering their names thereon, may be enrolled by the Secretary of the Club without the signing of the said enrollment book by the voter under such regulations as may be prescribed by the State Committtee.”

Enrolling the name of the absentee voter merely qualifies him or her to vote in the primary. The next procedure is to make application for the ballot and deposit the necessary postage to transmit the ballot to the absentee. Rules governing this read:

“47. (a) Any person being a qualified voter of the Democratic primary, when absent, or who on account of sickness cannot go in person to his or her voting precinct during any primary, may vote as hereinafter provided for.

“(b) He or she or his or her kinsman or friend shall make application in writing for a ballot to the Secretary, of the county committee, not less than five (5) days nor more than sixty (60 days prior to the primary in which he desires to vote. The application may be handed to the Secretary of the county committee and the applicant shall deposit the necessary postage, or the correct amount in legal tender, necessary for mailing the ballot, and full direction for mailing the same. But the failure to deposit necessary postage shall not render void a vote otherwise legally cast, and each county committee may authorize the mailing of absentee ballots with postage paid by the county committee.

“(c) The county Secretary, shall upon receipt of the application for ballot, if the applicant is duly registered in that precinct, enroll the name and address of the applicant on a list to be kept by him for the purpose and deliver to applicant in person, or forward to applicant, by mail the following; (a) An envelope containing the folded ballot, sealed and marked ” Ballot within. Do not open except in presence of person” mentioned in Section 6; (b) An envelope for resealing the marked ballot, on which is printed the “voucher,” form of which is hereinafter provided; (c) A properly addressed envelope for the return of said ballot; (d) A printed slip giving full instructions regarding the manner of marking of the ballot, in order that the same may be counted, and how prepared and returned.”

Secretaries of the clubs of the various precincts are the persons to be contacted both for enrollment of the absentee voter and also to file application for the ballots for such voters. The secretaries of the different precincts and their addresses are provided by the Richland county Democratic executive ccommitee and are as follows;

Ward 1 – Hugh C. McCown, Liberty Life Building, Columbia.

Ward 2 – Thomas W. Long, 1426 Henderson St., Columbia.

Ward 3 – Miss Vera Houseal, 1717 Hampton street, Columbia.

Ward 4 – Charles S. Henry, 1929 Assembly street, Columbia.

Ward 5, No. 2- D. T. Mayfield, 828 Whaley street, Columbia.

Ward 6, W. P. Etchison, 1000 Maple street, Columbia.

Ward 7 – Mrs. W. H. Eleazer, 2330 Laurel street, Columbia.

Ward 8, No. 2 – Mrs. T. S. Sharpe, 3015 Columbia Avenue, Columbia.

Ward 9 – Clay Rice, 1301 Hampton street, Columbia.

Ward 10 – Bennett Davenport, Carolina Life Building, Columbia.

Arden – Mrs. M. S. Whaley, College Place.

Ballentine – R. M. Ballentine- Ballentine.

Bear Creek – J. B. Heins, Blythewood, RFD.

Blythewood – Tom Branham, Blythewood.

Brown’s Chapel – W. D. Turner, Lykesland.

College Place – Charlie Moore, College Place.

Colonial Heights – J. M. Leaphart, 3501 College, drive, Columbia.

Dentsville – Joseph Keels, 1307 Marion Street, Columbia.

Eastover – T. S. Armour, Eastover.

Eau Claire – W. W. Jones, 1401 Lorick avenue, Columbia.

Folk- P. N. Derrick, Irmo.

Gadsden – F. M. Arant, Gadsden.

Hampton – Mrs. J. R. Shedd, 1901 Kawana road, Columbia.

Holly Grove – J. J. Ballentine, Blythewood.

Hopkins – A. R. McCracken, Hopkins.

Horrell Hill, No. 1 – W. D. Holstein, Lykesland, RFD.

Horrell Hill, No. 2 – Jack Reese, Eastover, RFD.

Killian – W. A. Wise, Columbia, RFD 1.

Koon’s Store – S. J. Koon, Columbia, RFD 1.

Lakeview – Mrs. B. T. Davis, Forest drive, Columbia.

Lykesland – Mrs. W. P. Rawl, Lykesland.

Midway, No. 1 – J. D. Terry, Columbia, RFD 3.

Mill Creek – Mrs. Harry Dixon, Lykesland.

Olympia – W. T. Knighton, 604 Kentucky, Columbia.

Pontiac, No. 2 – I. J. Jacobs, Columbia, RFD 3.

Ridgewood – Mrs. W. H. Christmus, 516 Ridgewood road, Columbia.

Slighs – Miss Mildred Lever, Columbia, RFD 1.

St. Andrews – Mrs. H. B. Gantt, Columbia, RFD 2.

Spring Hill – Forest C. Shealy, White Rock.

Summerville – C. V. Counts, Little Mountain.

Wayside – W. T. J. Lever, Blythewood, RFD.