The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1908-08-29
How the Primary Law Gags and Binds
the Voter.

How the Primary Law Gags and Binds
the Voter.
A we'll known citizen of one Of the
Teche parishes, who has been a reader
Of The Chief for many years, writes us
as follows:
If not too much trouble, would ask your adj
vice in the matter of voting for nomination OF
district judge. ] am Republican and voted for
PhaFT in the gubernatorial election, taking no
part in the Democratic primaries q matter OF
course The Isl of September next has been set
apart for the Democratic primary election to
nominate judge for the district am In. Kindly
advise me. whether could consistently as a Re
publican take Fart in such primary, or would
lose the right to vote the national Republican
ticket this coming presidential election should
vote IN the primary?
No participation in any primary
election can deprive citizen of the
right to vote as he pieases In the ma
tional election or in any other general
election, whether state. district, pa.
roehial or municipal. Under existing
laws a voter not only has the right,
but is required to prepare his ballot
in secret, and it is contrary to law for
him to exhibit it to anyone after such
eparati0n; hence it is a matter purely
between himself and his conscience
whether he votes for one candidate or
another, for one party or another, re.
CARELESS of what he may have done in
a previous primary.
The primary election law, however,
provides that only avowed adherents
and supporters of political party
shall be permitted to take part in a
primary ordered by and held under
the auspices of that party, and if the
law is strictly enforced in the judicial
primary of which our correspondent
writes, he will be required to declare
himself Democrat and to pledge &C.
Quiescence in and support of the result
before he will be allowed TO cast a
ballot fer the nomin alton of the dis
trict judge. Whether he is willing to
make such declaration, with the
mental reservation that he does not
regard it binding upon him TO any
further extent than the judicial con-
test in which he participates, is mat
ter no one can decide for him.
II our Republican friend votes in
this Democratic primary he will be
debarred under the law from taking
part in the nomination Of any but
Democratic candid ates at the next
election, or from being himself can
dfdate for office except as Demo-
crat and according to the rules adopted
by the Democratic party.
Alter the 1st Of January, 1909, when
new registration of the voters of
Louisiana is to be made, every appI-
cant for registration is to be asked to
state his party affiliation, Which~is to
be placed on the records opposite his
name. He is not required TO answer
the question il he does not desire to do
SO, but in the language of Act No. 100
of 1908, ''none but those who have so
declared their political utilization
shall be permitted to become caudi
dates or to vote in any primary cleo
ton OF any political party as defined
in this act.
The intent and effect OF the primary
laws in this state seem to be to
put label and brand on every citizen
that will crush out his spirit of indepen,
denee and Intelligent Discrimination
and tie him to the wagon of the domi-
nant political party nolens volens
We cannot refrain from oharacteriz-
ing such legislation as pernicious In
conception and practice, destructive
of the best principles Of enlightened
and demeaning to the man
hood of the free American voter.