Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-05-03
THE SECRET BALLOT AND PRIMARY
ELECTIONS.

While the people of Vermont are con-
siderinc the ways in which our Australian
ballot law and our caucus law may be
improved at the coming session OF Inc
LEGISLATURE it may be well to consider
some of the ideas which are being con-
sidered and advocated in other states.
In recent meeting Of advocates OF
election reform a citizen of Wisconsin de-
clarod that the present primary election
as a substitute for caucuses in Wisconsin
practically deprived the farmer of any
vote in either county or state affairs be-
cause it compcs the candidate to make
two campaigns to secure office. and forces
him to waste unnecessary time and money
which many cannot afford. He thought
that ono of the objections was that Wis
vonsin would have a candidate platform
instead Of peoples platform, and claim
cd this was getting near to the people
with a vengeance, and was one OF the
lamcst provisions Of this wholly bad law.
Horace l.. Dcming chairman OF the
executive committee and nomination re-
Io-m committee of the National Municipal
League said in part:
..linder the present system, each citi-
zen. in order to influence nominations,
must ally himself with a recognized poll
teal party organization, and in casting
hS nominating vote must choose his can
ddates for national, for state and foi
municipal offices all from list OF men
bearing the badge Of that organization.
since. at general election, the State
permits upon the official ballot as can
didate for an office the name OF put ont
person as the representative OF siNei
political policy. it should he tne name
the man who of all the avowed adherent
of the same policy who are competing 10
the nominate lion. has proved by the actua
votes cast in his favor al a nominating
election that he has a larger popular FOL
lowing than any competitor The nomln
ating election. therefore, should he pup
lie election to determine as to each eject
Two office. who, as "A candidate for tina
office shall have the right as the sol
representative Of a given set of poiltl"a
principles properly applicable TO its con
duct to have his name appear upon III
official ballot used at Tie general election
prior to registration day, let ever
candidate tor nomination be ANNOUNCED i
such candidate. together with STATE
merit of the platform of political prime
ui.s uuon which he stands, each uistln'
sci OF principles being denoted bv d sho
title or phrase; let the names of all ca'
oidates for the nomination be prini'
uuon an official nominating ballot by II
STATE: upon a registration day, ana III
mediately after registering. let the Not
mark secretly upon ii his preitr'Nc
among all the candidates for nominate
to each Office; and deposit the ballot
the ballot-boX under exactly the san
circumstances as at the general elecuo
let the votes he canVaSSod and the rest
announced. as at the general election:
the official ballot used at the ensuing re
.ral election let only such policies al
candidates appear as have successful!
nassed the TWO tests set forth above
1t is evident from tails summary Of idc
that there are two sides to the questi
as to the merits Of a primary elect
system as a substitute for political Cd
,uscs II it significant however, that
All States practically there is general II
uuiition Of the dcsirability of rcgstrati
or some other system to prevent m
GRITTY from forcing an undesirable can
date upon Il majority or vice versa, 4
to prevent corruption in caucuses.