Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-19
PRIMARY LAWS IN THE UNITED STATES.

PRIMARY LAWS IN the UNIFIED olAIto.
With the discussion and prospective
enactment of Il statewide primary
law before the Iowa legislature, Il
resume of the primary election laws
of the various states in the union
where such laws prevail has been m
augurated on this page of the Times
Republican, beginning today with me
Illinois law. 1t is hoped by the T.-R.
that it will prove interesting to Its
readers and helpful to tho voters who
have the subject of Il statewide prim-
airy to canvass and decide upon. The
series will continue daily until the
subject matter is exhausted.
Primary election methods of making
party nominations are not new. Ihere
are counties in Iowa where all nom
nations by the republicans hive been
made for Twenty-Five years ore by
the primary method and with most
gratifying results. There are others
where primaries have been the rule
for a dozen years. In many states the
primary method has generally sup
planted the caucus convention plan and
the growth of sentiment in favor of the
primary method is rapid In the south
the primary method is becoming pop
ular. The reason for this is easy to
TO-, IN, hn
primary election. more than elsewhere,
is the real election, and the polling
later is aamere formality. In Texas, for
instance. the people look upon the
primary as the chief thing, the cleo
ton secondary, for the ticket nominate
ed at the white primary" is always
elected. Minnesota has the honor o.
being the first state to make the prim-
airy system compulsory. Only three
consin--have compulsory direct prim-
aries for the entire state; but Mime
sofa, Michigan and New Jersey have
compulsory direct primary laws for a
part or all of the local offices. At least
twenty-five states have complete
primary laws and the new laws and
amendments passed within the past
five or six years have been so NUM-
erous that no complication is possible
without a full study of all the session
laws.
In five states there are compulsory
primary laws as to large cities or
counties for the election of delegates
to conventions. Eleven states have a
compulsory primary law as to the NOM
nation of certain officers it being OPP
tional with the party committees as to
whether the primary shall be direct or
for the election of delegates to con-
primary which is optional with the
party committees and five states have
a primary law for conventions, which
is optional with the party committees.
Four states have a primary law which
provides for either the direct or con-
vention system, either of which is OPP
tional with the committee and neither
compulsory.
A summary of the primary laws of
the states, brought down to a recent
date shows that they all have the same
object in view-getting back direct to
the voter so that corrupt influences will
be more difficult in the choosing of
candidates for office. They differ
widely as to the plans. There is much
experimenting; but the main features
are now we'll defined. The method of
requiring the voters to classify them
selves at some time, either at the time
of election or at the time of register
ing, is common to all the newer laws.
The tendency is to have the law fix a
time for the holding of the primaries,
and to have all on one day.