Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-03-04
DIRECT PRIMARY LAW

A report comes from Boise thai
the new primary Law is made up oil
provisions from the laws Of q number
OF states and Ii considered very efRec.
tive, although experience may devel-
op some defects that will need
changing. Governor Brady likes the
law and will sign II.
II has three salient features. One
taken from the Wisconsin law. which
was conceived by La Toilette, re-
quires that all party convictions be
held on the same day at the stats
capital. and the significance lies in
the fact that the platform of one
party can not be copied by another
to It's own credit.
Another clause IL designed to be
an Improvement upon the Washing
ton statute relative to the selection
OF United States senator's In that II
requires a majority OF fArst choices.
or. In the event there Ii not q full
majority, the most flrst and second
choices, but the measure does not
stipulate that this shall mean a bind
ing instruction to the Legislators.
Another section provides for sep
arate ballots for each party In q pri-
mary election and permits Of no
scratching. A man must vote an en-
tire party ticket or none at all. This
feature win tend to tighten party
lines at the primaries.
The party convention IL to be at
tended not by candidates. a. In some
states, but by delegates designated
by county central committees who
have been chosen by the candidates.
This plan 10 adopted to prevent the
platform from being distorted 10 At
the individual purposes OF the varl-
GUS candidates. The conventions OF
all parties shall be held the same
day and shall be concluded within 40
hours.
II Is claimed the law comes 90 near
the election Of a United States sem
atOr by direct vote a. 10 possible I'M
der the constitution OF the United
States. A voter at the general cleo
ton may aignIfy his choice and then
his second choice. The party eandi-
date for the toga receiving the major
ity Of first choice votes IL certified by
the secretary Of state to the leglsla-
tuFe. II no one candidate gets ma
iority then the secretary Of state
eerifles the name Of the one who
gets the most first and second choice
party votes. The leaIaAtora OF the
same party are not bOund 10 elect
him, but they may align pledges At thu
time they become candidates for the
legislature. promising to Gaat their
ballots for him.
The flrat primary election IL to be
held on the last Tuesday In August.
1910. ANY person entitled TO hold
an oillOe may become o candidate by
hllng nomination paper ct least so
days before the primary and paying
a stipulated fee, Within ten days
the candidate must slgnify his ac-
ceptance In writing.
No candidate for party nomination
before a primary election must spend
any money except for personal en-
penses. and these are restricted to
railroad fares and printed matter,
not newspapers. and ten days after
the primary he must Gle q sworn It.
emlsed statement OF expenditures
under penalty OF a ane Of 3IOO to
$500 and imprisonment from so
days to six months.
The nominees for county 0flces
Within week after their selection
elect county central committee OF
their respective parties. Each coun.
" committee elects n state central
committeeman and stats committee
men choose thslr own ofacers.
State platform conventions are
held 30 days after q primary election
and county platform conventions 10
days later.