The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1909-03-06
The Direct
PRIMARY BILL


ed by Governor Brady, al
though patterned afterthe Wash
ington and Wisconsin statutes,
is declared to remedy the de-
teCts of both. There are three
salient features in the proposed
enactment. One provision is
taken directly from the Wiscon-
sin law and was conceived By
LaFollette himself, requiring
that all party conventions shall
be held on the same day at the
state capital. The significance
of this is that the platform of
every party cannot be copied by
another to it's own credit.
PROVISIONS FOR SENATORS.
Another clause is designed to
be an improvement upon the
Washington statute relative to
the selection OF United States
senator's. In that state a ma
jority of first choices is required
to instruct the legislators for
any one party candidate. This
is corrected to read a majority
of first choices, or in the event |
there is not a full majority, the
most first and second choices
but the language of the measure
does not stipulate that this shall |
mean a binding instruction to
the legislators.
SEPARATE PARTY BALLOTS.
Another section provides for
separate ballots for each party
in a primary election and per
mits no scratching. A man
must vote an entire party ticket
or none at all
The party convention is to
be attended, not by candidates
as in some states, but by dele
gates designated by county
central committees who have ,
been chosen by the nominees.
This plan is adopted to prevent &;
the platform from being distor- I
ted to fit the individual purpose
OF the various candidates. The :
same idea requires that the :
convention of all parties shall
be held on the same day but
shall be concluded within 48
hours.
CANDIDATE MAY PLEDGE HIMSELF :
The law comes as near the S
election of a United States r
senator by direct vote as is +
possible under the constitution '
of the United States. A voter /
at the general election may sig t
nifty his first choice and then his c
second choice. The party candi- d
late for the toga receiving the 2
of first choice votes is a
certified by the secretary of b
state to the legislature. If no b
1ne candidate gets a majority '
hen the secretary of the state r
'ertiies the name of the '
one who gets the most first and
choice party votes. The [
legislators OF the same party are p
lot bound to elect him. They I
'annot be. But they may sign p
pledges at the time they become
for the legislature,
promising to cast their ballots
or the one who receives the ma
GRITTY of first choice or the most Y
lrst choice or the most first and t
'econd choice votes. In almost O
very instance if the statute !
operates as it does in other f;
states, they will do this, and D
.hus be held by their word, i
The measure stipulates that G
separate ballots shall be used at q
| primary election by each party
| voter receiving all of them G
lpon entering a booth and dis :,
arding all but the one he wishes |;
o vote. On each ballot under n
very Office is a blank line to be 8
He'd in with the name of the in Y
Ilyidual choice of the voter if /;
lie has no preference among the +
published candidates. v
HOW 1T WILL OPERATE. n
The law will operate in some !
Vhat the following manner: The I
lrst primary election is to be Il
leld on the last Tuesday in a
august, 1910. Any person en-. a
tiled to hold an office may be-
ONE a candidate. He does so
" fling a nomination paper at
east 30 days before the primary
lection. If he is a candidate
pr an office embracing more '
han a county he files it with o
he secretary of state and paws
fee of 50, if his prospective t.
alary is $500, and an addlti. F
nalsum equal to / percent if the
alary is above that. If he is a y
for a county office F
n fTiaC ~ ruy,AL H. - -