The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-01-24
SYNOPSIS OF SOUTH
DAKOTA PRIMARY
Candidates Must File Petition at Least
Six Weeks Before the Pri.
mary.

state. judicial and county offices are
to be nominated by the direct pri-
mary of the party. United States SEN
ators are also selected by the direct
vote, which serves an instruction to
the legislature. The law does not ap-
ply to municipal, town, township and
school district officers unless tho
voters by a majority vote so direct
When Held.
: The primary election is held in each
precinct at regular polling place on
the second Tuesday in June between
the hours OF and S O'Clock, and work
'ingmen are entitled to time off to
vote.
Petitions for State Ticket.
Candidates for United States sena-
of the circuit court must. in order to
have their names printed on the
official primary ballot. file a petition
with the secretary OF state at least
six weeks before the primary. Said
petitions must be signed by not less
the party vote Of their respective iu.
diclal districts
Petitions for County Ticket.
Candidates for county. legislative
office Or for member Of the party
state central committee must like
wise file a nominating petition with
the county auditor at least 30 days be-
70
than or more than per cent of the
voters of the party in the county, Del
egateS TO state conventions are chosen
In the same manner. The law also per-
mits candidates for state conventions
to unite under common motto and
Join in one petition, to have their
names appear on the official ballot un-
der that motto.
No person can sign the petition OF
two candidates for the same nomina-
ton to the same office.
Precinct Committees.
Each ballot has q space in which the
voter can write his choice of precinct
committeeman.
Fees for Filing Petitions.
A fee for filing nominating petit
tions is charged which, is turned into
th@ general fund and used to defray
the expense of printing ballots and
conducting the primary. The fee varies
on the state ticket. For senator. con-
gress, governor and members OF the
supreme court the fee is $50. From this
the fees run down through the various
offices to the lieutenant governor. who
Is the lowest at SO.
For county offices the following nomi-
mating fees must be paid the county
| auditor s7s2 -
Treasurer. auditor. sheriff. and regis
ter of deeds. Sis each.
County judge, states attorney. clerk
OF courts aud superintendent. $40 each.
Commissioners, coroner and surveyor.
IS each.
Legislature, either house, SIS.
Constables. justices of the peace and
delegates to state convention or men,
Ders OF state central committee. 81.
The Election.
The auditor has the tickets printed
and delivered to the precinct Judges.
who are appointed by the auditor, each
Jufge to be of different political parties.
The county pays the judges the same
as for general elections. The Judges
choose two clerks. Each party has bal
lots of different color. Members of each
party call for their ballot, mark the
candidates they wish nominated. and
deposit it in the ballot box. The vote
is canvassed the same as in general
elections. and the same rules regarding
electioneering. selling liquors. etc, are
IN force. The returns are sent to the
county auditor, and he. together with
the county judge and clerk of courts
canvasses the vote Of the county.
Nominations.
To secure the official nomination. e
candidate must have the highest num-
per or votes cast and more than 30
per cent of the total vote. In case no
candidate receives more than 30 per
CENT OF the total vote there is no nom
tnsl'on. and the nominee is chosen from
| arc g the primary candidates by the
ccuAly or state convention, as the
case may be, delegates to which are
chosen at the primary.
County Conventions.
Delegates to the county convention
| which is held the first Tuesday In July
are selected at the primary on an ap-
| portionment to be determined by each
| party chairman. The county conven-
tion may fill vacancies on the county
ticket such as may be caused by the
failure Of any candidate to receive 30
per cent of the vote, death or Withdraw
ais and to pass party resolutions. The
state convention, which Is held the sec
ond Tuesday in July. has the same
powers with respect to the state ticket
! ana state platform and nominates can
| didates for presidential electors
From an examination of the proyi-
sions of the law 1t will be seen that
any individual desiring to become a
candidate for any Office can do so by
nllng the necessary petition and pay
ing the fee. The man who gets the
most votes at the primary becomes
the official party candidate. providing
he gets more than 30 per cent of the to-
tai vote. II he gets less than 30 ner
cent the candidates must abide by the
decision Of the county convention. the
primary.
National Delegates.
On presidential years delegates arc
chosen to national conventions in tha
following manner:
II two-thirds Of the members of the
county central committee of the sew
eral parties shall decide that there is
not sufficient contest over delegates to
}ust1fy ~ nr;, the expense Of holding a coun-
point delegates to the state CONVEX.
Tasa,% 11oas; which ie shall be held the fourth
eject delegates to the national conven-
flo'na, lion: In case the committees so decide,
elect delegates to the county conven.
ton. ton and the county convention can
elect nss delegates to the state convention.
These primaries are held on the second
Tuesday in March. and are conducted
IN ne exactly the same manner as the
June primary, except that the Doll. are
open only between the hours Of 5. m. :
and $3.50 p. m. The county committees
are given the option to hold this IA.
mary or not. as they see fit, AN and II, q
case OF there being no night on for 81
national delegates the expense Of hold
ing the March primary can IS avns6"s