Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-03-13


secure notifications Of the bill which
will take away the state wide pro-
vision and make it possible to secure
nominations only by a majority vote.
Governor Cummins is much Interested
in the fate of the bill and expects 1t
will pass both houses with good ma.
jority. The provisions of the bill will
be of interest, as they vary somewhat
from those Of any other measure
which has heretofore been presented
to the legislature of Iowa.
s Provisions Of the Bill.
In the first place the bill has been
carefully drawn, the subcommittee of
the two election committees of the as.
sembly having had the advice of Gov
ernor Cummins almost. constantly dur
ing the time of its preparation. It
provides for state wide primary cleo
ton, to be held first on the first Tues
day after the first Monday in June in
1908 and biennially thereafter. All
parties are to participate. The ballot
to be voted will contain the names of
candidates for United States senators,
presidential electors and state, district
and county Offices. Judges and clerks
for the primary are to be appointed in
the same manner as for general cleo
tons. Party afiliation is to be de-
clared by the voter at first primary
and as long as he does not change his
residence or his political affiliation
that declaration will 1nain on the
poll books without further action. A
change OF afiliation may be made by
the voter from one primary to the
next by the filing of declaration to
that effect with the auditor Of the
county in which he resides. He may
also change his party on the day Of
the primary by subscribing to an oath
that the change Is made in good faith.
Ballots to be used at the primary are
to be of the same size and printed
on the same kind of paper and each
voter will be handed as he enters the
voting booth the ballot of the party to
which he declares himself allied.
Candidates for nomination for vari-
on the ballot by petition. County
candidates must file their petitions at
least thirty days prior to the primary,
and the petitions must contain the
signatures of not less than per cent
of the voters of their party as shown
by the returns from the county at the
last preceding general election; can.
didates for state offices must have
petitions with signatures of at least
/ per cent of the voters of the party
in not less than ten counties of the
state and one-half of per cent of the
voters of the party in the entire state;
congressional candidates must have
petitions with names of at least 2 per
cent of the voters in not less than one.
half the counties of the district, or
per cent of the party vote of the en-.
tire district. All candidates, except
county candidates, must file their nom.
ination papers forty days previous to
the date of the primary election. The
bill sticks for nomination by plurality
vote in all instances and provides
where tie vote is cast the nominee
for that office shall be selected by lot.
The state executive council is to
canvass the vote as returned from
the various counties of the state, and
the date for such canvass is fixed as
the third Monday after the June prim
airy. The bill maintains the county,
district and state conventions, but the
delegates have practically no work tc
perform. The delegates to the county
convention are to be elected by voting
precincts, the same as candidates for
any Office. They are to select the
delegates to the district and state con-
ventions, but the selection must be
from their own number. At the state
convention the delegates are empow-
cred to choose state central commit.
tee and adopt party platform, but
have no further work to perform.
The county conventions are to be held
on the second Saturday following the
primary ele 'tion and the state conven.
ton Is to be held not earlier than
the third Thursday and not later than
the fifth Thursday following the prim-
airy election.
The bill fixes severe penalties fol
violation of any of its provisions. II
forbids candidate engaging any one
to work for his nomination or to ex.
pend money for the purpose of securing
votes except that 1t is not construed
a crime If he shall expend money for
newspaper advertising of his candi-
dacy and for engaging persons to Sc
cure signatures to his petition.
Want Insurance Department.
Petitions have been pouring into
the legislative chambers from all the
cities of the state during the past ten