The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1906-04-06
PRIMARY ELECTION 1iw-sYNops1s

The following synopsis of the new
primary election law is intended partic-
ularly for the information of the voters
and those parts of the law which refer to
the duties Of officials, ETC., are mostly
omitted. and as far as possible the Ian
guage is Invested Of legal phraseology.
OBJECT OF LAW.
The first section Of the law is curl ,us
in that it tells the object ofthe law, which,
is rare thing in statute making. 1t sis
to purify and reform the methods by
which organized political parties shall
make nominations of candidates. Topper
petuate and strengthen political parties
by eliminating the evils therefrom hereby
sought to be corrected and to secure to
each individual member and delegate oil
such party an absolute freedom and in
dependence III the expression of his
preferences-and to prevent and prohib-
it the use of the unit rule and similar
methods-and the statute shall be so
construed"
WHEN HELD.
Primary elections are to be held each
general election year on the Tuesday
following the third Monday in June. At
these elections nominations shall be
made for all county officers, members
of the legislature, county commissioners
and city officers. Also delegates to the
state and judicial conventions as herein
after provided.
ONoTE.-The provision for the nomina-
ton OF city officers at this primary seems
out of place, as municipal officers are
nominated at city primaries held earlier.
Only Fargo and Grand Forks select cam
didates in this manner.
PETITIONS
Persons desiring nominations at prim-
airy election, in order to have theirname
printed on the official ballots, must get
out petitions. The petitions must give
name, address, office desired, and the
party to which petitioner belongs.
Candidates for the legislature must have
ten per cent of the party vote on their
petitions, but need not have more than
one hundred names in all. Names of
signers must be under certified party
heading, and legal voters. Candidates
for county and district officers must
have five per cent of their party vote as
shown by the vote for the candinate for
the same position at last election, but
need not have more than three hundred.
Candidates for state senator day $780,
for representative $40; county officers
two per cent of salaries, bnt not less
than five dollars; except commissioners,
surveyor and coroner who pay So, and
constables and justices pay 81. To be
paid to the county auditor for the county
general fund. Candidates for delegates
to the state and judicial conventions do
not pay fees. Sheriff whose salary is
fees, pays same as auditor.
STATE AND JUDICIAL CONVENTION
The chairman of the state committee
of the parties certify before the first day
of May the number of delegates appor-
toned to the county, to auditor and he
includes this notice in his notice of
primary election. Candidates for cleo
ton to state convention must also have
petitions containing ten per cent OF the
vote for governor in their party, but the
petition may contain the names of one or
more candidates for delegates.
MAY VOTE FOR ANYBODY
The voter may vote for any person he
chooses at the primary election by writ
ing on The ballot in the blank space, or
by attaching sticker
SIGN ONLY ONE PETITION
No person is allowed to sign more
than one petition for the same office.
NOMINEES ARE QUALIFIED CANDIDATES
All persons nominated at the primary
elections are qualified candidates for the
general election.
STATE CONVENTION AND RIFLES
The State conventions are called as to
time and place by state committees who
also provide for filling of vacancies in
delegates. They also provide for filling
vacancies in candidates Tor state offices.
All nominations III state conventions
must be made by secret ballot and no
''unit rule" is legal. No inducement
shall be given any delegate for his vote
or influence, such as appointment or
preference to Office in state or federal
service.
BALLOTS
All ballots at the primary election
shall be similar to the present regular
Australian ballots and will be furnished
by the county. There will be no voting
square at the head OF the ballot, which
means of course that each group of can
didates must have a separate vote or
marking.
SEPARATE PARTY RAII.OTS