The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-18
Early Elections.

Al the recent election in Florida for
Governor, State ofncers. aud members OF
the Legislature, 4 Proposition Was Sub
hnll'eu 10 the voters ~ amend the state
CONSTITUTION 80 as TO DO away with Oc-
toDer elections hereafter. Florida votes
10. ooFeinOr IN OCTOBER now, anu tho
proposed amendment provides for holding
IN state eleCuons Oh the same day as
the senttai elections. Reports from rlor-
idl lLt lcate that the Amendment. which
VIII tehe the Eyerglade state out or the
october column, wds adopted Dy biz
maJc.ily.
one l. one tho States that have pre-
Nm!hafy elections have been abandoning
the ~ Ctice, ana IL VIII not probably be-
iOhS itIOIe such elections VIA nave Decn
wipai cut entirely. comparison OF tho
lOn< llsl OF states which have held such
pre!lmIh6ry elections with the snort list
of those that retain this almost obsolete
practice OF separating State from ma
tional issues, shows the progress which
has been made ia making election day
uniform throughout the country. In the
Presidential year OF ls,2. tho iirst cleo
ton participated IN by ali the states of
the country. substantially, after the close
or the civil war, these were some OF the
dates OF early elections. Arkansas chosa
State officers on the FIRST Monday in Sep
tember Connecticut in April. Indiana in
October, New Hampshire in March.
North Carolina In August. Ohio IN &C.
tober. Oregon in June. Rhode Island in
May, South Carolina in October. Penn
sylvania in October. Vermont in Scptem.
Der, and West Virginia in October. The
Territories OF that date, too, mad their
elections at other times than that OF the
November contest, though there were no
Presidential electors to be voted Tor by
them. Colorado voted in September. Ida
no in May, Montana IN October. New
Mexico In September, Utah I'm August,
Washington in June. and Wyoming Ia
September. Texas had what seems now
adays TO be a peculiar method or State
election. IL began on the last day OF No
vembei and lasted four days. The ,oicA
who didn't ind IL convenient 10 have
his political preference recorded on tho
hrs or second day could vote on :he third
OF fourth.
4 majority OF the States Of the Union
up to twenty years ago had preliminary
State elections and, as a general rule. IL
was said. that In New England spring
elections were adhered to; in the South.
midsummer elections, and In the States
OF the Ohio Valley. October elections.
Climatic considerations, no DOUBT hsd
much 10 do With this, but Pennsylvania,
though an Eastern State. remiincl In
the october column until the corrupt and
demorallzing Hartranft- Buckaic% con-
tCst led to a change In the Cor itltn,ioa.
which was adopted by the voters N the
year succeeding. The list of ST ties he C.
..g preliminary elections now ncludss
Alal anna. which chooses State officers N
All rst: Arkansas. which votes IN S.g-
ttr.'sr; Florida and Georgia, which vo'e
in October: Louisiana. which elects State
officers In April; Maine, which votes for
them in September; oregon. which has
its State election in June: Rhode Island,
which votes I'm April, and Vermont. which
elects its Governor and other officers In
September October elections In Northern
States have now become q thing OF the
past and after this year Georgia will be
the only october State left.-New York
Sun