The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1906-02-22
PRIMARY
ELECTIONS
A Good Law to Break the
Back of Corruption.
AWAY WITH BOSSES
A n d elf-Perpetuated
Committees.
AWAY WITH BOSSES

The first positive step toward pri-
mary election reform was taken
up this evenI, &, when the Com
mittee OH Elections Of the House
of Representatives recommended
for passage the Bronson bill intro.
duced by the members from Frank
lin County, who drafted the pres
ent law two years ago. At the be-
hest of the political leaders of
both parties, it was cut to pieces,
and is but II sorry thing.
To-day's bill provides that all
candidates for municipal, county
and township )iiices must he nom
mated by direct vote. This al
so applies to Justices of the Peace,
members of Boards of Education
and members of County Exc cutive
or Controlling Committees. These
candidates in order to have their
names placed upon the ballot
must have upon their nominating
papers not less than l per cent. Of
the electorate of the division in
which they propose to stand.
Candidates for delegates to CON
yentions must have one tenth Of
l per cent. These percentages
are based upon the last general
election next preceding the pro-
posed primary.
When there is contained i'm n
county congressional, judicial or
legislative district, it is optional
whether the nominations shall be
direct or by convention, the deci
sion to be made by the Central
Committee 30 days in advance Of
the election. But all delegates to
convention must be elected by a
direct vote.
The date for the holding of the
primary elections, all parties BE-
ing required to hold them upon
the same day, is the first Satur-
day in Nay and not in September,
as was originally contemplated.
This is done in order that dele
gates to the state and district
convention. may be named at the
same time that the tickets are
nominated.
For partisan who desires to
leave the party with which he has
been affiliated 1t will not be neces-
sary to show that he had voted
the ticket of his new party at the
preceding election. If he has al
ready registered with one party
all that is necessary is to register
anew with the other.
After the nominations haye been
filed the Board of Elections will
place the names upon the ballot
by lot and not alphabetically, a,
proposed in number of the bills
The regular officers of electlor
are to he in charge of the primar
les and will receive the usual com
pensation. 1t is provided tina
the only ballots which they may
destroy after the count are thos,
concerning which there is no dis
pute or contention. In voting tn
Australian ballot is to be used.
will be printed by the Board o
Elections and it IS made an offens
: to take one from the booth or il
any way handle one improperly
the same regulations that sur
round the regular ballot applying
Through the reduction of tn
percentage required for nomina
tion papers-it is made easy TO
any one to get upon the ballot q
a candidate or for delegate G
committeeman. An effort will
made to get the bill through tn
House before March l in ordt
that the Senate may pass upon il
The same committee to. day r,
commended for passage the bill b
Senator II ow e, of CLEVELAND
which already passed the Uppt
Branch and which provides thu
the polls shall be kept open
Cleveland and Cincinnati on gel
eral election days until 5 80 p. III
as in the rest of the state. 1t
asserted that many workingme
are deprived OF voting because {
| closing the booths at p. m.
The New Sporting Annual.