Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-04-21
WHAT THE PRIMARY ELEC-

We are glad to see that the Conservative
voters of Staunton adopted by so large a
majority the plan of a primary election,
instead of a convention. It speaks well
for their fairness and their determination
that there shall be no reasonable COM
plants of ,rings' OF packing" Its adop-
tion places the city offices completely in
the direct power of the Conservative vo-
ters. To explain it's operation may be SUI
perfluous to many, but not to all, and as
we desire all to be informed on the subject
we shall give all explanation of it. The
City Committee appoint day, usually
twenty days before the regular election)
for holding the primary. Two polls are
opened in the city with two sworn Com
missioners at each. the Com inssioners be-
ing selected equally flon any divisions
that may have existed in the political Or
ganization that is holding the election
for instance in ureection the commission
ers would be selected equally from thos
who opp ,sed and those who approved max
ing it party question. The polls are
usually kept open a day. For the sake of
convenience the names Of eUery Conserva-
the that has been mentioned for an Office are
printed on IA strip and the voter scratches
out those he does not want, or, if any
name he desires is mot there. he adds it i'll
writing. This effectually prevents the
| making of any "ring" by the managers of
the election. Every man votes his indi-
vidual choice, the only restriction being
that the person voted for must be a CO.
operator with the Conservative party, and
| that the person casting the ballot must be
Conservative and by voting assumes the
obligation of supporting the full ticket
when it is made up. This is made up by
counting the ballots at the close of the vo-
ting and consists of those parties who have
received the highest vote for the office, des-
ignated. It is then the regular ticket Of
the party.
The utter mpossibility of managing
such an election in the sense used by poll
tians makes it so absolutely fair that no
man who wishes to act with the Conserva-
tive party atall, need object to it. There
is but one personal effect that 1t has, be-
sides insuring fair election, and that is it
gives an opportunity to those who have
been waiting for an opportunity to leave
the Conservative party to do so, for it is
fairly to be inferred that when man re-
fuses to join in and submit to fair
expression of the different opinions
and interests within his party in
order to secure it's ultimate success
he does not sympathise with it in it's ulti.
mate object, and desires neither to give,
nor receive further support to or from it.
Where fair election follows such a
primary election as described, and we be
lieve there has never beeu any complaint OF
an unfair election at the Stanton polls, it
may be certain that the majority of the
Conservative party have carried theil
ticket. There is but one sort of a primary
election which gives an opening to ''pack.
ing" and that is where ward conventions
choose tickets to be voted on at the pri
mary. That has been tried elsewhere
but our readers need not fear that il
will be adopted here; the fair character Of
the Central Committee, as indicated by the
names of the gentlemen on it, forbids such
an idea. That committee is composed Of
gentlemen of all shades Of opinion regard
Ing the expediency of making this canvass
OH political grounds and we may rest assur
ed that no opening will be given by such &
body for having packed conventions OF
ring tickets.