Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-02-24

8 COUNTY oFFIcEs STAND IN FEAR O
"SwAPPING."- ."-PEoPLE BELIEVED 7
FAVOR ONE PRIMARY AND BEINdIN'
4 OUT OF LARGE voTE-sTATR COMMIT
] TER TO FIX DATE.
Politicians of high and low deZre
4 are much exercised over the holding o
primaries to nominate candidates TO
city and State offices.
The question involved is: viii can
didates for all offices he nominated a.
one primary Or will there be two Sc
parate and distinct primaries in addi
tion to the general election?
The abolition of too frequent cleo
tlons was one of the things sought by
the constitutional convention, and to
crowd three elections into one summer
and fall, according to many people,
would be piling it on. most too thick,
even though it is party move.
Se~hdiNoOCS III otdLC OIuCCo al e uot
i'll favor of nominating city and coun-
ty officers at the same time that other
candidates lieutenant-gov
ernor, attorney general and United
States senators-are named.
Candidates for the city offices and
general assembly are said to be in favor
| of Ia separation, while the voter is in
different and unc0ncerned, except that
he does not care about voting so often.
One primary and the general election
is about all that are wanted.
There is this to be said about one
primary-the vote would be far heavl-
er in proportion than If two primaries
were held. All the candidates would
have to be voted for at one time, and
if that is done, there will be opportuni-
ty for much swapping. This swap
ping business is what the candidates
for city and county offices fear. And
it is the same with the candidates for
State officer.
This year there are to-, be named q |
full State ticket and members of the |
general assembly; also a United States |
senator. In addition, there are many
county aud city officers to be nomi-
natad-Sergeants, treasures, clerks, |
etc. The State Democratic com.
mite will fix the date for the State |
primary, which is to be. not more |
than ninety nor less than sixty days |
before the general election. In this |
instance the primary will held some |
time between Aug. and Sept. z, the |
date of the election being Now.
The county and city. committees are
to fix the dates for the holding of the |
primaries. and are also to name the
officers who are to conduct the pri-
maries for the nomination of all offic- |
ers. The county and city committee |
can fix any date that may appear to
them to be the best for the nomi-
so named must officiate on the date
named by the State committee as the |
time for nominating all State cani |
dates and the United States Senator.
The primary plan provides that
when there are no State etficers or
members of the general assembly to
be elected, the United States Senator
is to be nominated at primary to be |
held the first Thursday in September.
The candidates for State officers
shall |. notify the State chairman at
least thirty days before the primary
election of their intention to become
candidates. Candidates for the
United States senate, when no other
candidates is to be voted for, must
notify the State, chairman on or before
fore the first Thursday In June of the
year in which the primary ls to be
held.
State Chairman Ellyson said a few
days ago that he had not considered
the question of holding meeting of
the State Democratic executive CON-
mittee for the purpose of calling a
meeting of the State committee to fix |
the date of the primary. He thinks
that along in April or May will be
time enough for that.