World War I 100 Years Ago: Sept/ 23-29

From The Indianapolis Star, Thursday, September 28, 1916: Both of Indiana’s political parties are discussing the question of bringing back Indiana guardsmen from the Mexican border to vote in the November election. How this may be done has not been resolved. Registration forms have been sent to the soldiers by the Republican and Democratic parties, so the men will be registered. However, unlike other states such as New York, Indiana does not have a provision in its voting laws to allow ballots to be sent to the soldiers at their military camps on the border for the troops to mark and then return. Since the Indiana men are in federal military service, they cannot be controlled by state law or custom, so their return to vote will require an act by the federal government.