The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1906-08-24


voters. Neither does the consti-
tuition mention either general or
special or primary elections. In
the instance Of tho male voter it
reads any election, as found in s. /,
Art. 2 Of the Constitution. In the
case Of female voters, it reads "may
vote at any election, etc..
The, law referring to primary
elections 10 found at paragraphs 1871
to 1903, inclusive, R. L. 1905.
Paragraph 1871 reads;
son Tuesday, seven weeks pro-
oeeding any election, aud election
Of / party nominees, hereinafter
designated as the URINARY cleo
ton, shall be held in each election
district for the selection of party
candidates for all elective Offices,
except offices Of towns, villages and
cities of the fourth class, and state
Office, and members of school, park
and library boards in cities having
less than one-hundred-t Thousand
inha bitauts." Paragraph 1872 de-
tines how nominations shall be made
by candidates for election or selec-
ton at the primary election.
The law then defines election dis
tricts, when the names of the candi-
dates shall be placed upon the
ballots for the primary election,
order OF tiling-fees how disposed
Of, voting to be by ballot-sample
ballot, preparation of ballots-rota-
ton Of names, election OF officers,
and registration.
Primary election day is also
registration day..
Paragraph 100 provides;
$50 far as they shall be appli-
cable, all provisions of this chapter
relating to the location and arrange
ment of polling places, peace
officers, procuring registers, ballots,
boxes, and other supplies, opening
polling places, and in reference to
challengers, gatekeepers, shall apply
to primary elections; except that
only one ballot box for men and one
for women shall be required.
It is self evident, that the
legislature at the time OF the en-
actment Of this law. had in mind
1.-THE rfghto women to vote at the
primary election, or such a pro-
vision as the last in this section
would not have been included.
Paragraph 1872, defines the quail
ication of voters and manner o!
| votino and reads:
every person qualified as voter
may register therein and vote al
such primary election -.
This you will notice makes NO
distinction between male and female
voters.
Again, in paragraph 1856, R. L.
1905. we find q provision as follows
"At the foot Of the ballot shall
be placed the heading Ballot for
Women, under which shall be
placed the names of candidates to
be voted for by women.
These sections also indicate that
the legislature had in mind the
right and privilege of women to
vote at such primary election when
it enacted tho laws containing these
special directions.
Again, in paragraph 1875 pertain
ing to the preliminaries of the can
vass we find the following pro-
vision;
''Poll.list statement of primary
election held in (name of election
district) giving date, etc." It shall
read substantially as follows;-'"The
number Of persons whose names
appear upon the register as present
at the above named primary
election Yves. -, of whom. were
women. The number of ballots
cast by men was...., and the
number cast by women was. ~.
This also indicates that the law is
applicable to women.
Again, par. 8, paragraph 1919,
A statement Of the whole number
of votes registered, and the mum Der
Of ballots cast at such primary
election (shall be canvassed aud
returned) men and women, sepa-
rately."
This refers to the method of can
wasting and making returns of the
election. ~.
In interpreting and constituting
this statute, it must be done in
harmony with the intent and pur-
pose Of the constitutional privilege,
and it also should be in q reasonable
II not q liberal manner as it pertains
to an elective or political policy
which is Of the greatest of public
and the intent as
manifested by everything relating
thereto should control. It is q
question involving the right of
franchise and, to be reasonably con-
strued, every section Of the act
when viewed in the light and intent
of the constitutional provisions
should be considered.
With these ideas in view and
being of the opinion that women
have as perfect q right to vote as
men within the limits of our con-
atitnfion am If tho 0niniOn- that