The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-06

q COMMITTEE of the Pitts
| ~ burg chamber of commerce,
4 y headed by ex-Mayor Guthrie.
has approved the draft of
new primary election law which, in
conjunction with the Keator ballot law
to group all names Of candidates al
phabetically under the offices to be
voted for, will be. among the main
reform measures to be pressed upon
the attention of the incoming lexisla-
ture.
The essential features of the Guthrie
bill are the making of all nominations
by direct vote and the holding Of
primaries by all political parties on
the same day. The bill fixes all prim-
airy elections for city, ward. borough
and township offices on the first Tues
day after the first Monday OF January,
and for all other offices on the first
Tuesday of June. The elections shall
be held between the hours Of l and z
p NJ. at the regular polling places.
and shall be conducted by the regular
election officers The compensation of
judges is placed at So each. inspectors
at $3.50 each and clerks 81 each. No
primary election shall be held in the
case of city, ward, borough and town.
ship offices unless on call signed by
twenty qualified electors, or authorized
by the executive committee of po-
litcal party, and published not more
than thirty nor less than twenty days
before the date. The courts are given
power to excuse for cause any election
officer from attendance and appoint
person to fill his place. In case of fail
ure of any officer to attend ten minutes
after the time fixed for holding the
election the vacancy shall be filled
by the qualified voters present. The
courts shall appoint watchers on the
petition of any candidate. The quail
ficatiOn of a voter at primary cleo
ton of any party may be prescribed
by the rules of such party. In the
absence of such rules a citizen entitled
to vote at the approaching election,
and who at the preceding state or
national convention voted for the cam
didate of the party. shall be entitled
to vote.
The election shall be by secret bal
lot and the official ballots are to be
supplied by the county commissioners.
The ballots are to be endorsed with
the names of the candidates, with
square opposite the name of each, in
which the voter may designate his
choice by a cross. The voter is re-
quired to declare the party for which
he desires to vote. Exceptions to an
election or return have to be filed
within five days after the election.
Whenever under the rules of a DO
litical party a convention of delegates
is to be held, the delegates thereto
shall be elected at the primary election
immediatly preceding the convention.
Section three specifies seventeen acts
which would be unlawful under the
bill. These include the use of money
or coercion to influence voters. the i'm
personation of an election officer and
the disclosure of how any person voted,
or to vote more than once. A penalty
OF a fine not exceeding $1,000 or two
and one-half years imprisonment for
violation of the law Is included. 1t is
the duty of the presiding Judge to
certify to the court of quarter sessions
the facts whenever any of these acts
are committed. and the duty of the
court and the district attorney to take
proper steps for the arrest and prose-
cutlon of the guilty person. Provision
is made for the hearing and disposing
of exceptions to returns filed and the
courts are directed how to act. The
decision of the county courts is anal,
except when the disqualification affects
II candidate for state. executive or ju-
dicial office, when an appeal may be
taken to the court of common pleas of
Dauphin county. Nominations to all
vacancies caused by death or with
drawal shall be made by committee
of the party duly authorized under
the rules of the party.
There has been so much earnest
talk on all sides in favor Of ballot re-
form that it will be interesting to
notice how the Guthrie proposition,
which on it's face seems reasonable
and we'll considered, will be received
at Harrisburg.