The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-09-05
PRIMARY ELECTION LAW IN BRIEF,

So many inquiries have been made
regarding the provisions of the new
primary election law that The
Review deems it wise to give it's
readers a synopsis of its important
features and they are given below:
All who vote at the primaries will
be registered and so entitled to vote at
the ensuing election.
At the primaries candidates shall be
chosen for all Offices to be voted for at
the ensuing election except state
officers. This includes in the primary
lists judges, congressman, members
of the Legislature and county officers.
Any political party has the right to
have its separate ticket for its candi-
dates, that at the next preceding
general election cast at least ten per
cent Of the total vote "for It's leading
candidate" or that will file with the
county auditor a petition asking for
tie right and signed by ten per cent of
the qualified electors in the county.
Also the right of any Individual to
have his name put on the general cleo
tion ticket by petition, as under the
old law, is preserved, but this cannot
be done by any candidate who was
defeated at the primary election.
On September I'd, the 14th day be-
fore the primary, the county auditor
of each county shall make out sam
pie ballot for each party and post
them prominently in his Office for
public inspection and shall publish
each separate ballot once each week
for two weeks in the official. county
paper. The ballots shall be white
with black ink, in form and appear
ance like the Australian ballot, now
in use in this state, but with the
names of the candidates printed in
two columns. They are marked by
the voter with cross (X) just as at
other elections--and at the top of each
ballot is the name of the party in
large, black letters. The Offices to be
voted for shall be placed on the ballot
as follows: First judicial; next con-
gress; next legislative next county.
On the sample ballot the names of
the candidates under each office in
each party are to be arranged alpha
betically. In printing the ballots the
order of the candidates under each
office is to be changed so that each
candidates name shall come first on as
nearly as possible an equal number of
ballots. and the ballots are to be ar
ranged in packages or pads with
reference to this rotation. In so
rotating the names and arranging the
ballots in packages. the Office having the
most candidates under it is to be used
in making the changes of position.
The nubmer Of ballots printed, the
type used, the guarding of ballots. and
other requirements fixed by the general
election law are made part of the pri-
mary law. No candidate can 90 on the |
poiioI VI any party except the party to |
which he makes affidavit in his appli-
cation that he belongs.
On the day of the primary election
the saloons are forbidden.to sell any
liquor during the hours when the polls
are required TO be open, that is from
a. m. to 9 p. m. and the mayor
shall make proclamation to that effect.
1t is also forbidden to have liquor
in any polling place and the judges
and clerks are forbidden to drink any
spirituous liquors in the polling
place.
The same requirements fixed by the
general election law, are adopted as to