The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-10-22
Ample Means Provided.

The argument made that unless the
names of these presidential electors are
not placed on the official ballot under
the title of the Taft-Liberal ticket. :
well as under the party name or title Of
the Republican party. voters who are de
sirous of voting for electors who Will
vote for William II. Tan for president
and James ;. Sherman for vice president.
and who are not DESTROYS of voting for
other candidates on the Republican tick
ct, are not given an easy and reasonable
opportunity of so doinS, is well answered
by Mr.. Justice Grant in the case of Todd
VS.. election commissioners reported III
104 Mich, 479. The legislature has amply
provided easy and convenient means
Dental electors, or for any other caEdi-
date. on any ticket. and vote for candi-
dates for other offices on other tickets.
Both the opportunity and the facility to
so vote are amply afforded. But it is said
that the voters of the Taft-LiberaI ticket
are entitled to have all the names of the
nominees for whom they are DESTROYS of
voting placed on one ticket in order that
they may vote a straight ticket. The
statuteNgives a group of voters the right
to make nominations for public office
the same as is given to political parties.
Limit to Grouping.
But the primary and principal right con-
ferred is to make nominations not that
group of voters may select various nom
inees made by other parties for whom
lLeN are QeSlrOuS OF Young and nave
them grouped under one ticket for the
mere purpose that an opportunity may be
afforded them TO vote a straight ticket
Such a thing is not what is cOntem-
plated by the statute. For instance. sup
pose a group OF voters are DESTROYS OF
voting for one of the nominees nominal
ed for district judge on the Republican
ticket. for one on the Democratic ticket
one one the American" ticket, one one
the Socialist ticket. and for Republican
nomiree for another office. a Democratic
nominee for still another. and so on. Sc
lecting various nominees on different
tickets. the statute does not contemplate
that they are entitled to have such
names so selected grouped under one
ticket for the mere purpose of having an
opportunity to vote a straight ticket
But apart from these considerations
we know of no principle of law which
authorizes us TO declare that a person
nominated by group of voters. or by
political party, is obliged to accept such
nomination notwithstanding his declinac
ton If a political party, or a group of
voters. nominate a person for public Of
flee, which is declined by him. such NOM
nation is void. and such political party
or group of voters has made no nomina-
ton for such public office. Their status
is the same as though no such nomination
had been made by them. except the right
to fill the vacancy as by law provided.
Right to Decline.
Our conclusion, therefore, is that on
the facts made to appear by the affi-
davit of the REALTORS the persons nomi-
mated by the voters of the Taft-Liberal
ticket as presidential electors have the
right to decline such nomination in man
ner as was done by them, and that the
voters of that ticket had no nominees for
presidential electors, ana therefore the
secretary of state was justified in refus-
ing to certify to the clerks of the various
counties such names as nominees of that
ticket.
The demurrer is therefore sustained.