The Redwood gazette., 1901-03-27
THE PRIMARY LAW.
What It's Provisions are and Why
il is a Bad Measure.

the immense benefit that it will be
to group of candidates residing in
a big county seat town like Red.
wood Falls; the immense, yet, I be
lieve, fictitious, clamor for itt-a
clamor based on misunderstood
ing Of the real measure of the bill,
and brand the primary election law,
which has already passed the house,
land which is s1ikely to pass the sen
ate, as one of the worst measures
that will ever be enacted in the
State. I realize that it is unpopu-
lar to make such a statement at this
time, that it may be unpopular for
| all time with people residing in
cities, but [ am certain that it will
disfranchise the farming community
of Minnesota, the communities gath
cred in small towns, of all voice in
the selection of party candidates,
/ A careful perusal of the bill, and
listening to exhaustive arguments
pro and con, forces this conclusion.
Taking up this measure, section
by section, it is well for the readers
Of The GAZETTE to understand it's
| full plrport. Section | provides
that on Tuesday, seven weeks pre-
ceding any election, making the
date about Sept. 1st, for general
primaries, a primary election shall
be held in the several election dis
tricts, for which such officers are to
be elected. The bill, as amended,
excepts candidates for State offices,
and also candidates in town, village,
or small elections, but does apply
to all city elections. It applies to
candidates for district, county and
city officesy elective members OF
school boards, park boards, library
boards which are to be chosen in
the precincts affected. The primary
election is to constitute the first
day of registration of electors for
the next ensuing election in all dis
tricts subject to the provisions OF
the act
Twenty days before the primary
election day a candidate shall appear
or, file with the secretary Of state, if
for an office to De voted FOR in more
than one county, or the county au-
ditor, if to be voted for in single
county, with an affidavit to the
effect that he is candidate for any
specified office, and upon payment
of $40 to the secretary, in case he
is a candidate for a district Office,
or $40 to the. county auditor in case
he is a candidate for only a comfy
Office, the county auditor is to place
his name upon the primary election
ballot. The names are to be placed
on the ballot in the order in which
they are received.
On the 10Th day before the pri-
mary election the secretary of state
must certify to the county auditor
OF the several counties the names Of
all candidates of the several politi-
cal parties, to be voted for within
such counties, and on the 18th day,
or about the middle of August in
general election, before the pri-
maries, the county auditor is to
group all of the candidates for each
party by themselves, and prepare
at once a separate ballot for each
party, for public inspection, post it
in his Office, and publish the same
Etwice before the primary election
day, in the official paper ofthe coun-
ty, the publications to be made one
week apart. A separate primary
election ballot for each political par.
ty is to be printed by the auditor,
Each party ticket must be uniform
in color and size, must be printed
on white paper with black ink, the
name of the political party on each
ticket, and the proper heading. The
county auditor must certify to the
accuracy Of each ballot in. a manner
similar to that already in vogue
under, the efficient Australian elec.
ton law. The balance of the ticket
/ is to be made up in the same man.
ner as the ballots used in general
elections, except that the tickets
are to be made up under the head,
in two columns, with design o1
parallel or flagree rule one-quarter
inch wide, to separate the columns.