The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-11
KEEPS HANDS OFF
Secretary DentOn's Order About
Nomination Papers.
Will Not Be Open to Public for
Inspection.
NO LAW ON QUESTION.
Mr.. Denton Believes That Is
Proper Course.
He Is in Favor of Liberal Con-
structiOn of the Law.

6tA uS O1OA VI GAO xkoWs
Nobody will have chance to paw
over" the nomination papers filed by
those desiring to get on the state
tickets, according to the order an
nounced today by Secretary of State
c. e. Denton.
When prospective candidate files
his nomination papers. they are i'm
mediately put in a steel filing case,
which is inside big fire proof vault,
and there the papers stay, unmolested
by anyone until the state canvassing
board meets.
The time limit for filing petitions is
40 days before the primary. which
makes the date June rs.
The state board of canvassers
meets the Monday following, or June
18th.
Until the nomination papers are
brought out and laid before the state
board of canvassers, no one will be
given a chance to see them except
that man will be allowed to look at
or correct his own petitions, up to
June Is. 2S-sf @Vse -5at7
1t rests exclusively with the state
board of canvassers to decide wheth-
er mans petitions are legally drawn
whether they contain the proper
number of legal signatures. If the
petitions are found defective, the
DOdTu Oh Call NdSStIS CStl lSluSC " Pul
a name on the primary ticket-and
there is no appeal.
'The state primary election law,
said Secretary Denton today, does
not make any provision about how
the nomination petitions should be
say that they should be kept secret.
But it seems to me that is the proper
policy, and I propose to adhere to 1t
absolutely. No one can see those Pc
titions until they are laid before the
state board Of canvassers. / believe
this is in accord with the spirit of the
law. 1t might have bad effect on a
mans chances at the primary to have
it noised about that his petitions con-
tanned only 5000 names and the petit
lions Of his opponent for the office
contained $4,000. The 5000 petition
and there is no use in forcing a man
to get big petition Just for appear
ances.
Further than that, I don't care to
assume the responsibility of allowing
people to examine these petitions in
discriminatory. These are merely left
in my charge to be turned over to the
canvassing board at the appointed
time. If the board of canvassers
should find some petitions missing. I
would be held to blame. I don't care
to take any chances" 80 I- ez-e
Inc pet1LlOnS I1l0Q Will lI6 SSClo-
tary of state are for state offices,
United States senator, representatives
in congress- state senators, state
representatives, and all district offices,
except when the district is composed
of one county or less, in which case
the petitions are filed with the county
clerk of such county.
The county clerks OF the state re-
cefve petitions for county Offices and
the city clerk for city offices.
It rests with each county and city
clerk to determine whether or not he
will allow the public to see the petit
tions. OF course if a candidate de-
sires to keep his petitions secret, he
would be able to do so by sealing the
envelope, but even then there would
probab bly, be nothing to prevent the
county or city clerk breaking the
seal.
It would no doubt be possible for
the state canvassing board to disbar
many candidates from place on the
state ticket because of technical de-
fects in their petitions. The law is
strict regarding the exact number of
votes which must be on the petitions,
but it provides that the secretary of
nomination petitions after the candi-
date has reached the maximum. But
unless each petition is drawn exactly
right, the canvassing board would
have the right to d1sbar a man from
place on the primary ballot. In
speaking OF this matter, Secretary
Denton said today:
ct don't know what the position of
the canvassing board will be, but for
my part I shall favor a liberal con-
struction of the law, and shall be OPP
posed to keeping a mans name off the
primary ticket merely because OF
some technical defect in his petition.
I anticipate that there will be many
such defects; that 1t will be impossible
to avoid errors under a new law,
heretofore untried. We ought to be
liberal in our constructions of the
| law.
81 expect to put one clerk to work
on these petitions as soon as the time
| limit for filing is reached. This clerk
can. I believe, in 80 days, work
| through the entire lot, and find out
whether they comply with the re-
| quirements Of the law. This report
will then be made to the canvassing
| board"