The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-09
BRAUNHART'S BILL.
Changes in the Law Governing the
Election of County Com mittees,
and Proposed Reforms.

Election of County Com mittees,
and Proposed Reforms.
SACRAMENTO, CAL, Jan. 8. The
following bill has been proposed by Sena-
tor Braunhart:
: An act to provide for theelection of men,
bers of the governing committee or body OF
the respective political parties, associations or
organizations, to promote the purity OF said
elections by regulating the conduct thereof,
and to prohibit certain acts and PRACTICES In
relation TO the privilege of free suffrage, and
to provide for the punishment thereof.
The people of the State of California, repre-
sented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as
follows:
Section 1. At the general election to be held
in the year 1898, and at every general election
thereafter. there shall be elected for every
election precinct in the State one member to
represent such precinct IN the governing COM
mittee or body for each county, or city and
county, of any political party, association or
organization which, at the general election
last preceding, polled at least 3 per cent of the
entire vote of the county, or city and county.
No person not bona-fde resident and elector
OF such precinct shall be eligible 10 the office
of member of such governing committee or
body of any political party, association or
organization. Any qualified elector of any
election precinct may file with the Clerk of the
county wherein he resides, or, if resident
of city and county, with the Registrar
OF Voters or such other officer or board
as is charged by law with the duty of
attending to and regulating matters touching
elections, not more than sixty days and not
less than thirty days before the day OF cleo
ton, certificate, which shall be signed by
electors residing within the precinct Tor which
the candidate IS TO be presented equal in num-
Der TO at least 10 per cent OF The entire vote
cast at the last preceding election in the pre-
cinct for which the nomination is TO be made.
SUCH certificate shall set forth that the candi-
date is a bona-fide resident and elector OF said
election precinct and that he is known by the
signers thereof to be person attached to the
principles of the political party, association
or organization designated and particularly
described in the said certificate. Such ceruf-
cate must be verified in the same manner as
required TOR a certificate of nomination men
TONED in section 1888 of the Political Code.
Upon the filing OF such certificate,
signed and verified in manner afore-
said, it shall be the duty of she
Clerk of q county or of the Registrar OF Voters
OF city and county,Ior other officer or board
charged by law with the duty OF attending to
and regulating all matters touching elections
therein, 10 print the name of said candidate
the official ballot OF such county, or city
and county, as q nominee for the office OF
member for the election precinct specified in
the said certificate of the governing commit
tee or body of the political party, association
or organization, particularly described in the
herein set forth; provided, that no certificate
of nomination shall contain the name of more
than one candidate for the Office of member OF
the governing committee or body OF any polit-
ical party, association, or organization; ror
shall any person join in nominating more
than one nominee for such office. All tickets
containing the names OF candidates, under the
provisions of this act. shall have the number
of the precinct in which such ticket is to be
voted printed thereon.
Sec. 2. The laws concerning general cleo
nj dc tofn md nor rNrn hn6
for any violation thereof, shall apply with
equal force to all elections conducted under
the provisions of this act.
Sec. 3. Every per son nominated in the man.
ner hereinabove described, who has received
plurality of all the votes cast in his own pre-
cinct, shall receive a certificate OF such cleo
ton from the Clerk of a county. or from the
board or officer OF city and county who is
charged with such duty by the laws relating
to general elections.
Sec 4. Each nominee so chosen as a member
of the governing committee or body of the
respective political parties, associations or
organizations shall hold office as such member
for the period of two years from the first Mon
day after the 1st day OF January next succeed
ing his election.
Sec. 5. The governing committee or body of
the respective political parties, associations or
organizations of each city, or city and county,
chosen in the manner herein prescribed shall
have the exclusive right to determine the
time for holding the primary elections for
delegates to constitute the conven ton or con-
ventions OF their respective political parties,
associa lions organizations for the nomina-
ton OF candidates for political office, or to
adopt such regulations for the appointment of
delegates to the convention or conventions of
their respective political parties, assoca-
lions organizations as such governing
committee body may deem proper, and
shall have all other necessary powers for the
government OF their respective political par
ties, associations or organizations within such
county or city and county; provided, that
whenever the persons SO chosen as members of
the governing committee or body of any polit-
ical party, association or organization of any
county are electors of election precincts situ-
ate within the corporate limits of any city or
town such persons so chosen shall have within
the said corporate limits of such city or town
exclusive jurisdiction of all matters pertain.
ing to the governme n of such political party,
association or organization in and for such
city or town; provided, that the rights of
such persons as members of the governing
committee body Of such political party,
ass ocation or organization of the county
wherein such persons reside are not in any
wise hereby limited abridged or impaired.
Sec. g. Within thirty days after The passage
OF this act the Secretary of State shall cause
10000 copies of this act 10 be printed in pamph-
let form for free distribution.
Sec. z. All acts and parts OF acts inconsistent
with this act are hereby repealed.
Sec. 8. This act shall take effect and be in
force II ON and after its passage.