The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-24
HOW TO SIGN PETITIONS
Voters Eligible to Endorse One for
Each Office.

Under the new primary law, you can
sign petitions for as many different
candidates as there are offices to be
filed.
There are three railroad commits
sioners to elect. for example, and so
every elector has the right to sign
three different petitions for railroad
commissioner
There are ten presidential electors,
so you can sign ten such petitions
without violating the law.
This is the opinion given out today
from the office of the attorney general
in response to many requests which
have been coming in. 1t is a liberal
construction of the law; the law says
that no elector shall sign the nominal
ton papers of more than one candi-
date for any office.
The following is the attorney gen.
erals opinion:
"A question has been presented to
this office concerning the new primary
law which seems to justify an opinion
70 the public generally. The new law
forbids an elector from signing more
than one nomination paper, but that
provision must be given a rational
construction. Where there are a mum.
Der of offices of the same general char
acter to fill, each elector is as much
entitled to his say on who shall be
candidates before the primary as he
has at the primary itself.
For example, there are ten presi-
Dental electors. three supreme court
justices, and three railroad commission
ers, and, in some counties, six high
school trustees to be nominated by each
political party. Any elector may law
fully sign a petition for each of any ten
candidates for presidential electors of
his party, but no more He NAV also
sign petitions for three candidates for
the three places to be filed on the SUI
preme bench, because while such offices
are classed under the general name of
justices of the supreme court each of
these is a separate office. So too with
railroad commissioners. Each elector
may sign for three separate candidates
of his own political party, and do the
same for six different candidates for
high school trustees
What the law forbids, and all that
the law intends to forbid, is that no
elector shall sign petitions for two or
more candidates for the nomination for
the same Office. For example. no cleo
tor can lawfully sign petition for two
candidates for state auditor for there
is only one state auditor for his party
to nominate. No elector can lawfully
sign a petition for more than one can
didate for sheriff or county clerk for
there is only one sheriff and one county
clerk for his party to nominate. Meth
er would it be proper or lawful for an
elector. to sign eleven petitions for
presidential electors, seeing that there
are only ten to be nominated. 1t would
not be lawful for an elector to sign pc
htions for more than three justices of
the supreme court this year for there
are only three justices to be nomina-
ted A little care on the part of those
who take the initiative In circulating
petitions for nominations will prevent
useless confusion and other disagree
able consequences in matters of this
character"
1t keeps the attorney general busy
Interpreting the new primary law AS
might be expected in the case of a law
of this character, the letters of inquiry
are coming in fast. now that the can
didates are actually getting down to
the work of complying with the pro-
visions of the act.
1t is likely that questions will be
constantly arising which will necessi-
tate the Interpretation of the law, and
it may De considered a pretty good job
of law making on new subject if no
question arises which presents a really
serious defect