Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-03-29
Synopsis Of the Measure introduced
at Last Session by Senator
John D. Waite.
The Local Option Feature One of the
Most Important Provisions of
This New Law.

wants primary elections under tn
new law.
The process will be as follows
Fifteen per cent or more of the regis
tered voters whose names appear q,
the books of the last preceding cleo
ton must sign petitions to the boar,
OF county commissioners or to tn,
city council, as the case may be, stat
ing that they want special election
TO vote on the proposition of primary
elections. When this percentage OF
voters has signed the petitions, the
percentage being based on the vote
for justice of the suprme court, the
county commissioners or the city
council must order such special cleo
ton. The special election must be
held not more than 80 days from the
date the petitions are received. The
proposition of primary elections shall
however, be voted on at the regular
general election on separate ballots
but there shall be no special election
ON the proposition during the same
month in which there is a general
election.
If the provisions of the primary
election are adopted by a majority of
the voters at this special election.
then the primary law will be in force
and effect in that county or city after
ward unless the majority of the vot-
ers declare that they do not want the
law to be operative in their county
any longer. The proposition, however,
cannot be voted on by the people
oftener than once in two years.
Inc act IN general as passed by the
last legislative session puts the pr-
mary under the regulation and pro-
lection of the laws now in force as
to elections. In fact, there will be in
reality two elections. The act does
not apply to special elections to fill
vacancies, nor to the election of Unit
ed States senators, members of con
gress, state officers, town, village or
school district officers or to judicial
Officers, except to police magistrates
and justices Of the peace in cities.
Nor will the law apply TO the election
OF delegates to county and city con-
ventlOns and to county and city can
dldates for office. The preliminaries
are to be held on the first Tuesday in
September preceding the regular No
Vember election. At least 60 days be-
fore the date of the September primary
the county clerk shall publish a notice
q "a f>r .oL
dldates are to be nominated at the
primary. In the case of city election
the clerk shall publish the notice not
more than twenty days nor less than
ten days from the date of the primary
election. Nominations to be voted on
at the primary election must be filed
thirty days before the primary in case
OF county, and for nomination of can
didates to county convention the NOM
nations must be signed by at least
3 per cent of the party vote in at
least one-sixth of the precincts, and
in the aggregate not less than three
per cent of the vote of the party in
the county. If for nomination of dele
gates to county convention three per
cent OF the vote of the party in the
precinct is necessary for a nominal
ton. The basis of percentage in
each case shall be for the presidential
elector receiving the largest vote in
the last preceding presidential cleo
ton. In case of non-partisan or in
dependent candidates, the nomination
papers must be signed by two per
cent of the vote cast for the presi-
dental elector who received the larg-
est vote. The names nominated to
be voted for at the primary election
shall be published in Official ballot
form for 25 days before the primary.
All existing laws relative to manner
of conducting elections in cities ana
counties shall be applicable to the
conduct of the primaries.
The primary polls in cities shall be
open from IL noon until 8 p. M; in
other precincts from l p. m. to 5 p.
m. The primary election shall be by
Australian ballot. Registration for
the primary election must be as for
a general election. A person must be
a qualified elector of the precinct and
properly registered in order to vote
at the primary, the challenges may be
made on the same ground as in regu-
lar elections and the votes shall be
canvassed in the same manner and
by the same officers as the canvass
of any election. The person receiv-
ing the greatest number OF votes at
primary as the candidate of party
for an office or as a delegate from a
precinct shall be the candidate of the
party for such office and his name
shall be placed on the official ballot
at the following election.
County conventions of each party
shall be held after the September
primary for the purpose of electing
delegates to the state convention and
for adopting resolutions regarding the
principles of the party, to elect cen
trail committee and chalI man and per-
form such other duties as have been
dictated by party usage. Then a
state convention shall be held COM
posed of delegates chosen at the coun-
ty conventions and to nominate a
state ticket and adopt a state plat
form. But the provisions of the act
will not apply to the election of dele
gates to county convention which
is called by the state central commit
tee exclusively for the purpose OF
electing delegates to state conyen-
ton which has been called for the sole
purpose of electing delegates to ma
tional convention. In such case the
primaries shall be held by the par
ties as heretofore. Where the pri-
mary election is put into effect the
expenses of primary elections will be
betrayed by the county the same as
in general elections.