The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-01-14
new PRIMARY
ELECTION BILL
Changes Plan of Nominating
Senatorial Candidates by
the Parties
(By H. d. Paulson.l

AAs ~
Bismarck, N. D.. Jan. 14.-That the
present Legislative assembly will have
primary election troubles as has been
freely predicted during the past few
weeks, was shown today when Repre-
sentative Skulason of Grand Forks in
troduced measure providing for a
primary election law radically differ
ent in its several provisions from
those of the present law. It Is with
regards to the election of United
States senator's that the greatest
change Is purposed in the Skulason
bill, the first and second choice fea-
lures being embodied. With regards
to the pledge required Of legislative
candidates under the present law, the
pledge by which the candidates bind
themselves to vote for the party choice
for United States senator, under Sku-
lason's measure it lies with the can
didate to say whether he will sign the
pledge or not, 1t being optional.
The election of the members of the
supreme court and district courts is
set upon non-partisan basis, the bill
providing that the names' of all can
didates for nomination for the Office
Of Judge of the supreme court and dis
trict courts shall be placed on each
party ballot and that the high men in
the primary shall be declared nomin-
ated, twice as many candidates being
named as there are places to be fill
ed. The object of naming twice as
many candidates being. the author ex-
plains, a measure by which any mis-
takes in the primary may be rectified
in the general election.
The Pledge Feature
The pledge feature of the present
law is one that has been discussed a
great deal within the recent year, hav-
ing been declared unconstitutional by
the supreme court. BY making the
signing of the senatorial pledge op-
tional, the author Of the new bill be-
lieves that he will have evaded the
constitutional objection. In this mat
ter the bill provides as follows:
the office of member of the legislative
assembly may sign and file with his
petition the following declaration, the
making and filing of which shall be
purely optional with such candidate,
VIZ: I, the undersigned, candidate
for nomination for the Office of men,
Der OF the legislative assembly Of the
state Of North Dakota, hereby declare
to the people of the state of North
Dakota and to the people of my legis-
lative district. that during my term
OF office, l will always support and
vote for the candidate of my party
for United States senator who has re-
ceived the highest number of votes
upon my party ticket for that position
at the primary election next preceding
the election of United States senator
In such case there shall be printed
on the official primary ballot imme-
dtately below such candidates name,
the following: Pledged to vote for
party choice for United States sena-
tor"
Under the present law nominations
by minority parties are made impos-
sible, but in the Skulason bill pro-
visions are made whereby any political
party casting less than five per cent
of the vote in the last preceding elec-
ton may nominate candidates, as is
provided by existing laws for conven-
tions. provided however. that all such
conventions must be held upon the
same day as the primary election is
held under this act.
Election of Senators
The making of nominations for can
didates for United States senator is
provided for In the following man.
ner.
when there, are only two candi-
dates for the Office, the candidate re-
ceiving majority of the votes cast
at such primary election, shall be
the nominee of his party for the office
of United States senator at the ensu-
ing session of the legislative assem-
bly, which Is to elect United States
senator. When there are three or
more party candidates for said office,
each elector when voting for can
didate for United States senator, shall
vote for one of such candidates as his
first choice and another as his second
choice. by placing cross (x) OTTER
the name OF one of such candidates in
the column headed First Choice" and
another cross (x) after the name of
another such candidate in the column
headed Second Choice" No voter
shall vote for the same candidate as
, 9th first and second choice and no
vote for United States senator shall
be counted unless both the first and