Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-14

l
list. 1897. Any vacancy occurring in
! the number OF the three members so
| appointed shall be filed in like manner
| for the remainder of the unexpired
| term.
Section 80. The ballot law commits
sion may summon witnesses. and may
| administer to them oaths, and may re-
| quire production of books and pa
| pers at a hearing before them upon
| any matter within their jurisdiction.
Witnesses shall be summoned in the
same manner, shall be paid, the same
| fees. and be subject to the same PEN
alties for default as witnesses sum-
| court. a summons may be signed and
an oath may be administered by any
member of the said board.
Section SO. A decision of the majority
| of the members of the board upon any
| final and conclusive.
Section 81. The appointed members
| of the ballot law commission shall be
paid such compensation for their SER
vices not exceeding - hundred dollars
each. as the Governor and Council may
| determine. and the total expenditures
| exceed the sum of - hundred dollars
any one year.
l further suggest that our law ought
| to contain the same provision in re-
gard to the use. by signature nominal
| ton candidates, of political party
designations. which exists in most if
not all of ourNstates
| Such a provision is not only neces-
* Inn Sir,lIip inst ice N nolifical
parties entitled to make nominations
as such. to protect them in the use of
the party designation. and to prevent
independent candidates from appro-
| priating such party designations to
their own individual use to the confu-
sion of the voters and all concerned in
our elections.
/ append. by way of illustration. sub
stantially the text of the Massachusetts
law. suggesting that il or something
like it be tackled on to Sec of our pre-
sent law. IF candidate is nominated
| otherwise than by a political party
which at the preceding gubernatorial
election polled for Governor l per cent.
of the entire vote cast for Governor
within the State the name of politi-
cal party so polling l per cent, of such
entire vote, shall not be used in the
party or political designation of such
candidate except and unless some other
name or term is used TO describe. re-
strict or modify the same
Another suggestion:
| am well assured that ii is the opn-
ion of several members of the supreme
judicial court. as also of many good
lawyers, that the use of 'stickers.'' to
h., 1,t ipn hN- no ind I-i1 ntat
and pasted upon the official ballot. as
our present law apparently contem-
plates, is in direct conflict with the
could. and doubtless in may instances
would. be made effective to attain the
very ends that the law is framed to pre-
vent. The point is so evident that it
seems to need no argument. 1t may be
well for the Legislature to forestall
trouble along this line by the following
changes: In Sec. "a, line IS, strike out
the word ''iill'' and insert the words
write or mark in place thereof. In
Sec, 10. line %. strike out the word ''in-
sert" and in lieu thereof insert the
words write or mark
To make Sec. 10 accurate the word
after in line 81 should be striker out
and the word under" should be in
serted in it's place. See Chapter 267,
Public Laws of 1923, pages 80, 316.
Yet another suggestion seems neces-
sary. regarding vacancies in the num-
Der of members-elect of the House of
Representatives. There have been two
deaths and two designations or re-
fusals to accept a seat in the House
this year, prior to the assembling of the
Legislature, most unusual if not I'M
heard of happening.
The present law requires in all cases !
that nomination certificates and papers |
shall be filed with the secretary of |
State at least 30 days, exclusive of Sun |
days, previous to the day of the cleo
ton"
While this provision is necessary and |
exactly right so far as the general cleo |
ton is concerned. it is not necessary nor
wise when it relates to Il special election
held to fill Il vacancy such as l have al
luded to: Sec. should be SO amended as
to provide that certificates of nominal +
tons and nomination papers of candi-
dates nominated to fill vacancies caused
by the death. resignation or refusal to
accept seat of member-eleet of the
House of Representatives, or the death
or resignation of the representative
should be filed within. say 10 days. or
some such short period of time prior to
the day of election.
The power of the Governor to appoint
in case of vacancies in public office does
not extend to senators or representatives
to the Legislature Such vacancies must /
be filled, if filed at all. by special cleo
ton.
AS to senator's, the constitution pro.
vides for election by the Legislature. Az
TO representatives. the statutes provid.
Tor special election by the electoral or
class c district and such an election being
for the choice of State officer" is to
that extentsa State election and therefore |