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Article describing efforts by the Arkansas Negro Democratic Association to vote in 1942 Democratic primary. Can't Vote Under Rules, Says County Party Official While officials of the state Dem- ocratic Committee could not be reached last night, June P. Wooten, secretary of the Pulaski County Democratic Committee, said: "Un- der the party rules, they can't vote in the primary." Section 2 of the rules of the Dem- ocratic party of Arkansas states: "Qualifications of Members (party) --The Democratic party of Arkan- sas shall consist of all eligible and legally qualified white electors who have openly declared their alle- giance to the principles and policies of the Democratic party, as set forth in the platform of the last preceding Democratic national and state conventions, who have sup- ported the Democratic nominees at the last preceding elections, and who are in sympathy with the duc- cess of the Democratic party in the next succeeding election." Mr. Wooten said if election judges and clerks chose to abide by the partu rules they could bar the polls to Negro voters in the pri- mary, despite their announced in- tention of voting only for candi- dates for federal offices. State Committee Should Decide, Says Governor. Governor Adkins informed of the meeting and asked whether he be- lieved the Negroes could vote in the primary, said last night he considered it "clearly a matter of party regulations." "I think it is a matter to be de- termined by the state Democratic committee," he said, "and I...

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Land of (Unequal) Opportunity

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University of Arkansas