The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-05-14
The New Primary Law.

Copies of explanation of the laws
governing the primaries to be held for all
nominations this fall, as prepared by At
torney- General Isaac Lobe Straus. have
been furnished members of State Central
Committees and officials of the primaries.
The law will be given trial in Cecil
county this spring by the democrats, but
the republicans will stick to the ancient
convention plan of nominating cam
didates.
Under the provisions of the law, parties
which at the election of 1907 polled 10
per cent of the vote cast may make nomi-
nations and select delegates to all con-
ventions.
The method of nominating for county
offices shall be either by direct vote or by
the convention system, as the county
State Central Committee of each party
may determine. In counties where,
under the rules or custom of the govern
ing body of the party, the Crawford
county system has prevailed, no change
can be made until it has been approved
by the people.
No primary election can be held later
than the second Monday in September.
Three weeks notice by publication must
be given by the local State Central Com
mittee of date, time and place of county
primaries. Polls may be open from a.
m. to p. M, but must be open for at
least four hours. The ballots are provid-
ed by the county State Central Committee
and must be printed on opaque white
paper of uniform size and in quantities
double the number of registered voters in
the precinct. The names of the candi-
dates shall be alphabetically arranged in
groups. Ballots must be furnished the
return judges three days before the pri-
mary. AS far as practicable, the pri-
maries shall be held in the vicinity Of
the general election polling places.
The Supervisors of Election must fur
nish certified copy of the registration
list for the precinct to each return judge.
The County Commissioners pay for this
list, but it is not to exceed $Ioo in each
county. Each party is entitled to obtain
from the Supervisors additional copies of
the certified list, for which the party itself
must pay.
The election supervisors representing
each party appoint the judges and clerks.
One of the judges must be registration
officer and is also to act as return judge.
The County Commissioners are to pay
the return judges So each, the other
judges and clerks S..
No person may vote unless he is regis
tered in the precinct at which he applies
and member of the party at whose pri-
mary election he offers his ballot.
The voter must prepare his ballot by
cancelling with a black pencil the names
of those for whom he does not desire to
vote. This ballot after being marked by
the voter is to be properly folded and
placed in plain white Opaque envelope
and deposited in glass ballot box in the
presence of the voters and the other cleo
ton officials A ballot marked by any
other than black pencil shall not be
counted.
All the prohibitions and penalties of the
Corrupt Practices act are applicable to the
primary elections. Judicial nominations
in rural circuits shall be made by judicial
conventions. The county delegates to a
Judicial convention can either be selected
by convention or by direct vote.