The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-21

San Diego. Cal. July 1e. 1909.
Hon. c F. Curry,
Secretary of State,
Sacramento. Cal
Dear Sir: At your request and for
the purpose of giving the voter a clear
and comprehensive grasp of the Cali
fornia direct primary law. | have pre-
pared the following statement of its
provisions, ip narrative form. stripped
Of all legal verbiage:
Under the old convention system
party candidates were nominated by
the majority vote of assembled dele
gates. The new direct primary law
provides that all party candidates shall
be nominated by the voters Of the re-
voter will now discharge the duty
which heretofore devolved upon the
party convention delegate. The pri-
mary elections therefore, viii hereafter
perform the functions Of party con-
ventions.
Two methods remain of obtaining a
nomination for office. Party nomina-
tions must be made in the manner pro-
Vided under the direct primary law
enacted by the state legislature in 1909.
Independent nominations may be made
by petition signed by per cent of the
voters OF the district for which the
nomination is to be made.
All party nominations for the gen.
eral election, held in November, viii
be made at a primary election held on
the preceding third Tuesday in August.
separate ana distinct printed tDdllOlS
in blocks OF 100 for each political party
Will be provided at the polls. The re-
publican ballot will contain the name
of each republican aspirant for nomina-
ton who has complied with the pro-
visions OF the primary law and who is
entitled to receive republican votes.
This IS also true OF the ballots OF the
democratic. socialist and other parties
CONDUCTING PRIMARIES
The primary election at the polls is
conducted in every respect as at
general election. The voter stamps an
TX in the square opposite the name
Of his choice for a candidate for each
Office for which nominations are 10 be
made, the same as he may stamp II IN
the square opposite the name of his
choice for each office at a general cleo
ton. The primary election officers per-
form the same functions as the general
election officers. and ballots are folded
and east as at general elections.
The votes at the close OF the polls
are counted in the manner Of general
elections, and the returns are made 10
the board of supervisors, or proper
election commissioners. The returns
are then canvassed in the manner APP
plicable 10 general elections, and the
candidate for nominal ton receiving the
highest number OF votes is declared the
nominee Of his party. Thus, IL there
should be two or more candidates for
governor upon the republican ticket
and two or more candidates for the
4Ol SOACl LOA Ou liz OCtitb-
cratic ticket, the person receiving the
highest number of republican votes at
the primary election would be declared
the republican nominee for governor
and the democratic candidate for nomi-
nation receiving the highest number OF
democratic votes would be declared the
democratic nominee for governor. In
this manner the nominations are made
for each Office by each political party.
Thus. by the use of separate ballots,
ell parties make their nominations at
the direct primaries presided over by
the same officers Of election.
WHAT AsPIRANTS MUST DO
In order that an aSpirant for a party
nomination may have his name printed
upon the party ballot and be voted for
at the primary election, he must comply
with certain requirements.
If he is a candidate for an Office TO
be voted for at a November election
he must at least 80 days prior TO the
third Monday in August file nomina-
ton papers
If he is candidate for a state office
these nomination papers must be filed
with the secretary OF state; il for q
county Office, with the county clerk, and
If for city Office, with the city clerk
These nomination papers consist OF
the afiidavits Of a given number OF
qualified electors. stating that they are
electors. the precinct in which they
vote, and that they nominate the per-
son named as a candidate for the noml-
nation of their party for the office
designated. and also stating that they
viii support for such nomination the
candidate named. The nomination pa
per consists of the required number Of
these sworn statements, together with
the affidavit Of the candidate, in which
he states, among other things, the
name OF the party and the Office for
which he desires to be a candidate;
that he affiliated with his party at the
last general election, and that If nomi-
mated he will accept the nomination
II - rr-s1
qualify as such officer If nominated and
eleSted.
For the purpose of obtaining the
necessary signatures to the nomination
papers, the candidate may appoint one
or more veriflcation deputies, who shall
qualify by fling with the county clerk
an affidavit stating that he has been
designated as such deputy and that IN
obtaining the signatures he viii OBJ
serve the election laws of the state OF
CaliforHia in so far as they are applica-
BILE. The law provides that a voter
shall sign but one nomination paper for
shall be bound together by precincts,
arranged alphabetically by surnameS
and eaumbered. II the nomination pa
pers are for candidate to be voted
for in more than one county, they may
be bound together by counties.
COUNTY CLERKS DUTY
It is made the duty Of the county
clerk TO examine all nomination pa
pers and ascertain if the signers are
qualified voters, and be shall affiX his
certificate TO the nomination papers.
reeiting that he has examined them,
and stating the number OF signatures,
and If the nomination papers are for a
candidate to be voted for in more than
one county the nomination papers with
the certificate of the clerk attached
must be forwarded TO the secretary of
state for fling. At least % days before
the August primary the secretary of
state must certify a list to each county
clerk containing the name and post
Office address of each person for whom
nomination papers have been filed in
ais Office, together with a designation
Of the Office for which such person is
q candidate and the party he repre-
sents.
A candidate for state Office or