The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-25
THE NEW ELECHoN LAW.

THE CALL is in receipt Of a great many
communications asking information in re-
gard to the details OF the reform ballot law
and The simplest legal way to get an indie
pendent ticket before the people.
Tie reform ballot law provides that all
ballots cast in elections for public officers
within this State shGll-be printed and dis
tTibuted at public expense. This provision
renders it Impossible for party to present
a ticket that has not been accepted By the
Secretary Of State as complying with the
provisions Of the law.
Section 1856 declares that any convention
may nominate candidates for public offices
to be filed by election within the State. 4
convention is defined as an organized assem-
biage of delegates representing political
party, which al the last election before the
holding of such convention p0lled at least 3
per cent Of the entire vote Of the State,
county or other political division for which
the nomination IS 10 be made Under this
section these parties are at the present time
entitled to hold conventions and to have tie
candidates nominated at such conventions
placed on the official ballot. Provision is
also made for nominations by organizations
which have been brought into existence
since the last general election, but they apply
only to localities or ~minor political divisions
in which elections have been held since the
last general election. 1t follows that no
convention can be held in this city under
the name OF Citizens, Taxpayers, Peoples,
NOD-Partisan, or other designation, to nom
mate local ticket. Such conventions would
not be recognized in the Secretary Of States
Office as complying with the conditions Of
section 1856, defining what shall constitute a
convention entitled to nominate.
But provision is made in section 1883 for
nominations otherwise than by convention.
AS 1t is under the authority gwen in this
section that independent nominations must
he made, if at all. its details should be care
fully. studied. Tie first condition is that a
candidate mnst present a certificate to the
office OF the Secretary Of State, containing the
names Of electors residing in the political
division for which lie is a candidate equal
In number to at least per cent of the entire
vote cast at the last preceding election In
that polit zeal division. The details of nonl-
mating by petition may, perhaps, be best
Explained by supposed example. Let US
assume that number of voters desire TO
nominate candidate for Mayor by petition.
The political division of the office is the
entire city. The total vote In round num-
beTs is 5000. Five Per cent Of 90 COO is
natures that would have TO be obtained to a
Tetition praying for such nomination. With
$50 sieners the candidate goes on the official
ticket and may be voted for at the election
ly all electors who prefer him 10 any other
>. candidate.
But we will assume that there are other
Offices which the same element of The
voters will desire TO present candidates for.
Section 1880 provides that no person shall
Join in nominating mere than one nominee,
But il does not prohibit voter from sign
ing petition for a nomination for each
. tf1ice TO be filed in the district in which he
is a voter. Thus voter may sign petition
for the nomination OF Mayor, Sheriff.
County Clerk ard all other municipal
CfficeIs elected by general vote. In signing
petitions for the nominations of State SEN
ators and Assonbymen, voters would be
limited 10 signing for candidates in their
several districts There is nothing in the
law providing for nominations BY petition
which would prevent the use of the names
Of the 25C0 voters who may sign for nomi-
nation for Mayor on petition for each and
every municipal officer voted for by the city
at large. When determination of Senators
and Assemblymen is desired, the names on
the city-at-!arge petitions could be used only
In the Senatorial or Assembly district in
which they may reside. The object of the
law IS TO have respectable propoftion of
the voters behind each candidate nominated
by petition. This object is accomplished If
the same pames are attached TO the GER
tifcate for each one of the several municipal
oandidafaa