Voter Registration

Fifty years ago, I tried to register to vote. I met an obstacle course.

When I turned 21 and became eligible to vote, I was at the University of Mississippi. I wasn't allowed to register in that County. At my home of record, Washington County, the Registrar's office was open every other Wednesday afternoon during working hours. I also had to pay a poll tax. So I never had the opportunity to register before going off to sea.

Two years later, 1960, I was the ship's voting officer (among other duties) and had access to all of the information about registering and voting in all fifty states. I knew how to do it and what the deadlines were. I submitted a Federal Postcard Voter Registration Application to Washington County, Mississippi in ample time.

Months later, I received a reply regretting that the county had received the application too late.

Balderdash! Even if the form had been received too late (which I never believed), registration in Mississippi was permanent. There was no reason not to have sent a registration form, even if it was too late for the 1960 election.

The next time I was home on leave, I registered. This time, the Registrar could verify my complexion.

The Voting Rights Act and the National Voter Registration Act fixed the problem.