The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-05
PRIMARY ELECTION BILL.
,portsIoSs OF TEE MEASURE NOW
FOR THE LE9IsLhTURE.

The Fill wipes Dat the, Present Earty OrGnn-
,,.,,ons in Now York ahd nroetiyn. ana
r,o,,dru for tho Creation vithin the
%.,t Three Months OF New ORGANIZATIONS
,,p1Sy. March 4.-The Primary bill which
80. finally agreed upon at the conference OF
roen,nrs and independents In the Executive
chamber last night was introduced in both
houses OF tho Legislature to-day by the Jul
s,.Iorv Committee to be printed and recon-.
rD,,tcd, Hearings before tho Judiciary Com
..i,,c,s will bo had noxt week. The commit
49,. Also introduced a bill extending to viola.
1or, OF the proposed primary law the same
osnaltics which now appertain TO violations Of
,he Election law. The punishment is a fine Of
esoo mr. n years imprisonment, or both.
The main structure OF the bill. including tho
u.ntpcky plan OF enrolment at the time: of
,ecistration for election purposes, is the same
Al, has bcen'outlinod from time to time. The
,.s,ure OF tho bill which 10 likely to cause the
vrost discussion 10 It's radical provisions for
-in,nr out the present organizations of the
Renublicnn and Democratic parties In New
Work and Brooklyn. This Is to be effected by
the creation within the next three months Of
hrand. new organizations. Each party is to
have n county committee organized In sub.
,,sntlal accordance with the present Republi.
,.n nlan. mma Hall will have to.give up
ia so-callcd open primaries. 1t will have TO
have a rigid enrolment, and will be compelled
% abandon in some measure its present system
a, marty government. Either party, however.
NAV have, in lieu OF or in addition to the
County Committee. n general city committee
mr. general borough committees. or both, and
also such other ward. city, Assembly district,
Senate district. or Congress district COM
mittees as its rules and regulations may re-
quire.
The primary system contemplated by tho
bill is compulsory upon the Republican and
Drmocr tic parties In cities Of the first and
second classes. Any other party in such city
NAV take advantage Of 1t at it's option, and any
marty in a city Of the third class or a village Of
5000 population may take advantage Of 1t at
its option.
The term custodian Of primary records Is
defined to mean the officer or board whose
duty IL Is to provide official ballots for general
elections. In New York and Brooklyn this
function is vested in the Police Board. The
term marty" is restricted TO those which cast
10000 votes for Governor. Independent po-
litical movements for the election of city off,
GERS are not parties. and participation in them
does not prevent a voter from enrolling In q
regular party.
Every political committee shall have a Chair
man and o Secretary, and every such committee
shall, within ten days after its organization,
file with the proper custodian Of primary rec
ords a certificate specifying the names and ad.
dresses OF its officers.
Delegates to party conventions chosen at pri-
mary elections shall be apportioned as nearly
as possible upon the basis of the number Of
votes cast therein for the party candidate for
Governor at the last general election. No con.
vention shall proceed to the election of a tenn
porary Chairman or transact any business until
the time fixed for the opening thereof has ar
rived and at least a majority Of the delegates
named in the official roll shall be present. The
temporary Chairman of the convention shall be
chosen on a call of the roll. The person who
calls the convention to order shall exercise no
other function than that of calling the official
roll OF the delegates upon. the, vote for tenn
porary Chairman and declaring the result. there
Of The committees of a convention shall be
appointed by tho convention, or by the tenn
PTE n1ay Chairman, as the convention may order.
the permanent Chairman shall be chosen on roll
call. The. permanent officers shall keep the
records OF the convention, and within forty
eight hours after the adjournment thereof: shall
duly certify and file the same in the Office Of The
custodian Of primary records. Before entering
Chairman of every convention: and the Chair.
man OF any committee on contested seats there
in, shall respectively take an oath to faithfully
perform the duties of their offices, which oath
may be taken before any officer authorized by
law to administer an oath, and shall form a
part of, and be filed with, the records of the con-
vention. Each convention shall decide all ques-
lions as to contested seats therein.
When an elector shall, at any of the four regu-
sent himself to the Board Of Election Inspectors
In any election district, his name and residence
shall be entered on the enrolment books. He
may enrol or not, as he plcases. IL he desires to
enrol and Is challenged. he may be enrolled by
ming a declaration, or by answering questions,
district. is in genera! sympathy with the prin-
ctiples of the party, that 1t is his present inten-
uon 70 support generally, at the next general
electlon, State or national. the nominees OF such
party Tor state or national offices, and that he
mas not enrolled with. or participated in. any
primary election of any other party.
Immediately upon the completion of the en-
rolIment books the Board of Election Inspectors
ehali lhclose the same, together with all state
.asind ana records pertaining thereto. in Il
sealed envelone, upon which shall be written or
, printed In distinct characters the number OF the
election district for which such enrolment was
made. Such envelope and its contents shall.
within twenty. four hours. be delivered to the
custodian OF primary records. Such envelope
snail remain sealed until after the day OF gon-
uoh Inspectors shall make, or allow to be made.
y CODY transcript or statement from the enroll.
At any time during the month of December
next succeeding such four meetings for regis.
satioh any eioctor who was registered as a
tlon, but did not enroll with any political party.
iha! become specially enrolled in any political
earty IN the election district in which ne regis.
.efed as a voter by filing with the custodian NJ
Iilhla'T records IA statem'n Mt similar to that Of
aCna.lchged voter. II, after being enrolled as a
~ mem3er OF a party in one election district, either
~ original enrolment or by transfer, an elector
hnaiI move INTO another election district, he NAV,
a,er tmrty days residence in that district. and
noi Ialer than the thirtleth day next preceding
~, Official primary election, become enrolled
tncselh as a member Of the same party, by maxi
Ssts, acknowledging and filing with the custo.
Slan 81 primary records a statement setting
iorth the facts.
There shall be a special enrolment for all
parties on the second Tuesday in May in every
le"r arcr The year 1893. Such enrolment shall
ne conducted in each election district by the
Election inspectors who acted ms such at the last
tLeceuihg general election, and shall be held in
u PoIlhg place where such preceding general
eiectlon was held. The inspectors conducting
nueh special enrolment shall sit from g A. NJ
.ntii W.. VI. Only electors at the time resid-
inH IN the elect on district, and who registered
a. electors IN such district In the next preceding
ponucal year. and whose names are not already
cpon 'ne rolls or any party, and electors who be-
.sne OF age after the last preceding general
suctlon' shall be entitled TO enroll at such
,peclal enrolment. TIE custodian of primary
,eiT1orHs shall give to any elector specially en-
or OF transfer.
Except as otherwise provided, only electors
,aroleu as before provided shall be entitled TO
participate in the primary elections of their re.
Hf11n No ln4 -l--lI Il - l.