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ARTICLE
VI. SUFFRAGE
AND ELIGIBILITY. Section
1. Every male
person of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, that shall, at the time of
registration, be a citizen of the United States, or that shall have declared
his intention to become such in conformity to the laws of the United States,
and that shall have resided and had his habitation, domicile, home and place
of permanent abode in Florida for one year, and in the county for six months,
shall in such county be deemed a qualified elector at all elections under this
Constitution. Section
2. The Legislature,
at its first session after the ratification of this Constitution, shall provide
by law for the registration of all the legally qualified voters in each county,
and for the returns of elections; and shall also provide that after the completion,
from time to time, of such registration, no person not duly registered according
to law shall be allowed to vote. Section
3. Every elector shall at the time of his registration take and subscribe
to the following oath: "I do solemnly swear or affirm that I will protect and
defend the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Florida, that
I am twenty-one years of age, and have been a resident of the State of Florida
for twelve months and of this county for six months, and I am qualified to vote
under the Constitution and laws of the State of Florida." Section 4.
No person under guardianship, non compos mentis or insane shall be qualified
to vote at any election, nor shall any person convicted of felony by a court
of record be qualified to vote at any election unless restored to civil rights.
Section
5. The Legislature
shall have power to, and shall, enact the necessary laws to exclude from every
office of honor, power, trust or profit, civil or military, within the State,
and from the right of suffrage, all persons convicted of bribery, perjury, larceny,
or of infamous crime, or who shall make, or become directly or indirectly interested
in, any bet or wager, the result of which shall depend upon any election; or
that shall hereafter fight a duel or send or accept a challenge to fight, or
that shall be a second to either party, or that shall be the bearer of such
challenge or acceptance; but the legal Section
6. In all elections
by the Legislature the vote shall be viva voce, and in all elections
by the people the vote shall be by ballot. Section
7. At any election
at which a citizen or subject of any foreign country shall offer to vote under
the provisions of this Constitution, if required by any elector, he shall produce
to the persons lawfully authorized to conduct and supervise such election a
duly sealed and certified copy of his declaration of intention, and if unable
to do so by reason that such copy cannot be obtained at the time of said election,
he shall be allowed to make affidavit before a proper officer, setting forth
the reason why he is unable to furnish such certificate, and if said affidavit
prove satisfactory to the inspectors they shall allow said elector to cast his
vote; and any naturalized citizen offering to vote shall, if so required by
any elector, produce his certificate of naturalization or a duly certified copy
thereof, and in the event that said elector cannot produce the same, he shall
be allowed to make affidavit before a proper officer stating in full the reason
why it cannot be furnished, and if satisfactory to the inspectors of said election
such elector shall be allowed to vote. Section
8. The Legislature shall have power to make the payment of the capitation
tax a prerequisite for voting, and all such taxes received shall go into the
school fund. Section
9. The Legislature
shall enact such laws as will preserve the purity of the ballot given under
this Constitution.
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