Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-16
is EVEN MORE
DIFFICULT NOW
Primary Election Law Puzzle is Once
More Bothering Those Who
Direct Campaigns.
CHANGE IN ROCK ISLAND
Separation of City and Township Lines
Makes Two Elections Necessary,
and Adds Confusion.
CHANGE IN ROCK ISLAND

After having carried on, with fai:
success, primary for the general
election under the new Illinois primary
law, the voters of the state, or at least
those who reside in the larger cities,
are now facing an even more compli-
Gated problem, in the spring elections.
The provisions of the law in regard
to primaries for cities are vague, and
no provision is made for the election
of township officers under the primary
law.
Two Elections Here.
In Rock Island there will be held
two elections this spring for the first
time. The city's boundaries are no
longer coextensive with the township
lines, and thus the city election is to
be held the third Tuesday in April, the
20, while the election to fill township
Offices, such as supervisors, assessor,
collector, justices of the peace and
constables, will be held the first Tues
day of the month. April 6. This is the
|
the election is fixed by a special char
ter to the city.
Dates of Primaries.
The following from the attorney gen
erals digest of the law, explains the
time of holding the different pri-
maries:
The judicial primary must be held
the second Tuesday in April tApril 49, .
At this election all candidates for
| judges of the supreme, circuit and SUI
perior courts, to be voted for at the
judicial election held in June. must
| be nominated
When the election is held the first
Tuesday in April, the primary to
| nominate candidates to be voted for at
such election must be held the last
Tuesday in February preceding.
| when the election is held the third
Tuesday in April. the primary to NOM
| mate candidates for such election
must be held on the second Tuesday
in March, preceding.
! There are a large number of spec
/ ial charter cities, villages and incor-
{, porated towns in the state. The sew
eral charters of such cities provide for
the election of municipal officers there
| in. In such special charter cities. UNI
| less the election of municipal officers
therein occurs on the first Tuesday in
| April or the third Tuesday in April
the primary for the nomination of can.
didates for municipal Offices must be
held three weeks preceding the date
of the election
i According to this the city primary
! if there is one, for the nomination OF
township officers, must be held the
last Tuesday in February The petit
tions must be filed with the town
clerk, who in Rock Island is the city
, clerk at present, not more than 80 mol
less than Is days prior to the primary
This is true also of the filing of pa
pers for any city office.
Signatures Required.
( The law requires that candidates fol
nomination for municipal offices mus
file a petition containing signatures O
one-half of one per cent of the tota
number of primary electors of thu
party in the city, in order to secure ;
place on the primary ballot. In orde
, to be a candidate for the nomination
I for alderman, it is necessary to file /;
) petition containing the signatures o
{ half of one per cent of the primar.
electors of the party in the ward
& The democratic city committee i
soon to hold a meeting for the purpos
of investigating the situation, and tail
ing the preliminary steps for holdin
s the primary or primaries.