The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-31
The Minnesota
New Primary Law

Tisbntg, with bashtul solUnS yet 70 report, IL
may be worth while to reproduce from the Chi.
cago Record a review OF ;bc Day primary eioo-
ton law in Minnesota, contributed by its author,
Oscar T. q. bay. This law Is considered by
many the lest enactment OF its kind ever made
aud in operation has worked admirably. IL
is well worthy Of careful study.
o
II Is necessary, in ORDER that one should
fully comprehend the workings OF the Day
primary law, that he should have an idea OF
the election law under which Minnesota oper'
ates. In Minnesota there ia compulsory regis
tration personally before each election, in cities.
Every voter must visit a registration board ON
one Of three days before election, and taking
an oath answer questions regarding his rest
dence and place Of birth, &c. lie is then reg.
istcred by the board. In the country districts
the town boards meet on a certain day before
each election and copy the old lists, adding
to them any who may personally appear, or any
one who is known by the board TO have become
a voter.
Minnesota has the Australian ballot and booths
are erected in every district in which voters
can secretly mark their ballots. This. In brief.
is the Minnesota election law which existed
when the primary law was passed The idea Of
the primary law was TO get out as many voters
as possible, and have tho nominating secret and
yet have party lines drawn, so that no man
could help nominate two tickets, The FIST
idea was accomplished In this manner. II
voter could register for general election, and
vote for nominees at the same time, IL was an
incentive for MIN to get out and register on
that day. The result proved the idea.
10
The Day primary Law provides that the FIST
registration day for the general election shall
be held seven weeks previous to a general cleo
IL, 80 ,I,r,a lie ,nln ntp Or.
tion law. Thus, the first registration day was
set back, in order to give thirty.dsy campaign.
In the country districts the same day was
namcd, and those who came to vote at A primary
only were required TO register personally. After
that the town hoard met as formerly aud filled
up the list. The primary law required that on
the first registration day, which was the primary
election day, the booths should be erected in
all the voting districts, and that the regular
registration officers should become officers for
the primary election without any additional
recompcnse. The registration boards were al.
lowed TO cali to their assistance such additional
clerks as were necessary TO assist in the ballot
ing. To provide for this there were two addi
tional clerks appointed il every city district,
and they were ample. In the country they need
cd none.
When the voter went to q poll to vote It was
a very simple matter. Even IL he had not
previously known Of the primary election and
went there solely 10 register 1t took but mo.
ment 10 instruct him that he could vote for his
choice for nominees for al officers to be elected
lie was then registered, after being sworn, and
the ballot judge handed him two tickets, ex.
actly the same size and color, each headed in
large letters with the name Of a party. lie
was instructed that he could take both tickets
into the booth, but could mark but one of the
tickets, although he must return both to the ball
lot judges, folded together. Thus, the vote was
a secret one. The plan worked so we'll that in
one district in the city los votes had been poled
at o'clock L. M.
The polls were kept open from o'clock in
the morning until O'Clock in the evening, and
the law provides that all persons in line at
that time must be voted before the polls were
closed. but no new arrival after o'clock is
entitled to a vote. After the voting OF the day
is there still remains under the general elec
ton law two days in which the registry board
meets 10 register the balance Of the voters WHO
have not voted at the primary election, but there
is no more voting for nominees. those not ap.
pearing on the first day losing their vote for .
primary choice.
clerks open the ballot box and sort the ballots
They first open the folded ticket and look tc
see il mere than one ticket has been voted. II
| a mistake has been made and voter has tried
to vote on two tickets the Judges take only the
ballot upon which are the most marks and place
that upon its party pile, discarding the othel
ballot entirely. Thus, matter how the voter
has tried to manipulate by marking some names
on both tickets, only the one which was evident
| ly the party of his choice, Judged by the mum
| Der OF votes marked. is taken into considcra
| is la NJ Law ~
compels a man TO vote for one party only, NJ
| matter what his intentions may have been to
| ward manipulation. II is the experience OF peo
| pie versed in criminal procedure that it is i'm
| possible hy the making of laws to prevent peo
! pie from doing wrong acts ii it is possible 4
do them. The only way to prevent it is I,
make it impossible Tor them TO be committed.
|
So it is with the direct primary law, as op
| Grated in Minnesota. i voter must vote hi
own ticket for this reason there is only on
ticket, with no division. aud the name OF ever
CANDIDATE in that party running for Office is OF
| that ticket, be he city, county, legislative
! judicial district officer. Thus, where ther
are wards where dominant party rules, an
the weaker party might desire to scheme so a
to place a weak sldermahic candidate on th
opposition ticket, he is prohibited from doin
SO, because in oider to vote on that other bal
LOT ne must sacrifice all MS votes fOr MS part
for judicial, county, district, legislative and cit
candidates. II is this large ballot, with moth
ing separating county from city, city from dif
trict or legislative from aldeTmanic, that pre-
vents manipulation entirely.
| d
There is another provision in the prntin
Of ballots which is entirely new, and which
10 be incorporated into the general election laH
When the ticket is printed an equal numbc
of impressions are made Of the ballot, wit
names in different positions, the names bein
altenated as many times as there are names /
the official division containing the most cand
dates AS every change is made the name
the top is placed at the bottom OF that list, an
the other names showed up so as to make III
first name come last. This does away with III
unfarncss and the benefit given the first nan
on the ballot in the election.
| %
Under the Minnesota general election law thel
has always been an opening for independeI
candidates getting on the general election ticke
after the convention nominations. The on
thing that was necessary was for them to S
cure certain percentage Of the voters OF
district In which they live to sign a petite
for their candidacy This is presented 10 Il
auditor who then places the name OF the part
upon the ticket as independent candidsL
That part Of the law is kept intact by the pr
mary law, But aside from the allowance
an Independent candidate the law specihcal
provides that nominations for political parti
by any other plan than by the direct primal
provided for are prohibited and unlawful.
Under the primary elect on law political par
is defined as a party which at the last gener
election cast at least 10 per cent. of the tot
vote cast at the election for its leading cant
date, or a party which shall procure a petite
signed by at least 10 per cent. Of the total vo
Of a county, asking for a party ticket. In
other way can party be recognized. No 9th
manner is allowed for getting on general ele
ton ballot, except by nomination by polite
party defined, and as an independent canC