POLL LISTS

One very helpful tool in locating the males in your family search is the Poll Lists/Great Registers. Of course, women will not be found in any voting records in California prior to 1912. How is it then that a woman in 1868 became the first woman to vote in California?

Charley Parkhurst was a famous rough and tumble stagecoach driver in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Often referred to as "one eyed Charlie", because of the patch worn over one eye, was a famous and reliable stage driver for over twenty years . Charley registered to vote in 1866 stating to be 55 years old. Upon Charley's death in 1879 the story gets very interesting. If you are curious to learn more about the first woman to vote in California, read on http://www.sptddog.com/sotp/parkhurst.html

The history of voting records in early California will help you know what information will be contained in these records. The following information on Poll Lists is extracted from County Archives of California, Owen C Coy, published 1919.

POLL LISTS:
The only official register of of voters in California between 1850 and 1866 were the Poll Lists. These records continued to supplement the Great Register between 1866 and 1872. On March 23, 1850, an act to regulate elections, required the county judge to furnish to each inspector of elections for each election two copies of a blank form containing one column headed "Names of voters" and one column headed "Number of votes" with proper captions and certifications. At the time of holding the election the name of each person voting was to be entered on these blanks, together with the number. These poll lists were to be include with the election returns, one copy of which was to be preserved by the inspector for at least six months, and the other sent to the county clerk.

The Registry act of 1866 did away with these earlier poll lists and provided for the preparation of poll lists before each election by a board of registration for each precinct. This board was to consist of one clerk and two judges to be elected or appointed to serve for a period of two years. The poll list was to be prepared during the ninety days preceding the election, and was to be completed on the thirtieth day preceding the election, after which it was to be sent to the county clerk, who had it printed, together with the other poll lists for the county. Copies of the printed lists were then sent to each clerk of election, and a final revision was made by the board of registration. The poll list was to be made up from the uncanceled names on preceding poll lists for the county. Copies of the printed lists were then sent to each clerk of election, and a final revision was made by the board of registration in the three days preceding the election. The poll list was to be made up from the uncanceled names on the preceding poll lists, from the great register and from the oral applications of those entitled to be enrolled as electors fro the election. The list was to contain columns for the number, name, date, age, class (whether native or naturalized), occupation and address of each person enrolled, and a column in which the fact of his having voted or his vote having been rejected should be noted at the time of the elections. These lists, constituting a record of those who voted, were also to be included with the election returns, as in the case of the earlier poll lists. Prior to July 1, 1867, registration in the great register was not a necessary prerequisite to enrollment on the poll list; after that date it was, except in the case of persons naturalized, becoming of age or coming into the county within thirtyfive days preceding the election.

The Political Code in 1872 abolished the poll lists. In a note, the Code Commissioners said: "We have abolished the poll list, ............have made provision by which the great register will perform all the offices the poll lists were ever intended to perform. Experience has shown that the poll list's are prolific sources of fraud."

More on the history of the Great Registers in another article. Meanwhile, you can see what information the Mariposa County 1872 Great Register contains. Many familiar names of the pioneers of our county will be found. in this resource. You will learn their nativity, age in 1872, where they are living at the time, and their occupation- A great resource for those years between the census!
http://www.mariposaresearch.net/GR.html

Carolyn Feroben
Mariposa County History and Genealogy Research
http://www.mariposaresearch.net

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