Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-07-09
No Direct Nominations Next
Year Says The AttOr-
ney General.

ney General.
AT the last:session Of the General AS
sembly, the Lee Primary Election law
was passed which repealed all other pri-
mary election laws on the books. In
this law all nominations for County Off
ces had to be made by Direct vote, as
well as the election Of the State Central
Committee and the Delegates to the
State Convention, etc. In fact every
thing which had to do with the party
management had to be selected by the
people direct. When this measure was
up for final passage. the Counties of
Wicomico. Somerset, Worcester. How
ard and Washington were exempted
from the provisions of the Act. and a
clause inserted to the effect that these
Counties should submit to the voters Of
the said Counties the question as to
whether or not they desired nomina-
tions made direct at the first primary to
be held under the provisions of the Act,
but the word "proviso" inserted in the
Bill gave some question as to the exact
time this vote should be taken in the
said Counties this year.
The matter is such an important one
TO the people that former Senator Brew
iugton. of Wicomico County. requested
Attorney General Isaac Lobe Straus to
give him an opinion on the matter, with
the result that the Acknowledgement
says there can be NO VOTE ON THE
QUESTION THIS YEAR AND THAT
THE TICKETS WILL HAVE TO BE
NOMINATED BY THE CONvEN-
TON SYSTEM IN THE COUNTIES
NAMED ABOVE NEXT YEAR. The
opinion is as follows
Dear Sir:-Complying with your re-
quest, have examined Section l60A of
the Primary Election Law of 1910 in or
der to determine WHEN, under its pro-
visions, the voters Of the several politi-
cal parties subject to the Act in the
respective counties of Wicomico Somer-
set, Worcester, Howard and Washing
ton are required to Indicate their prefer
ence for or against Primaries by direct
vote for candidates for County offices,
State Senator's and Members Of the
House of Delegates.
have never given an opinion or ex-
pressed any view whatever upon this
question and prior to your request obove
referred to. had never considered il at
all. cannot account for anyone sup
posing that | have ever heretofore made
any statement on the subject.
This is the first announcement of any
conclusion upon the point and you may,
as you request. publish the same in the
Wicomico News.
/ do not think there is any doubt or
difficulty about the matter. Immediate
ly after the PROvIS0 in Section l60 A
that the provisions of the Act requiring
the nomination of candidatis by direct
vote shall NOT APPLY to the Candi-
dates for County offices, ETC., in How
ard, Worcester. Wicomico, Washington
and Somerset Counties. the section con-
tinues thus: land PROVIDED FUR
THEIR. THAT AT THE FIRST PRI-
MARY ELECTION HELD UNDER
THE PROVISIONS OF THE FORE
GOING PRovIS0 IN EACH OF SAID
COUNTIES" the voters shall indicate
their preference for or against primaries
in their respective parties BY direct vote
for candidates for county offices. etc.
1t is perfectly clear that the FIRST
PRIMARY ELECTION" here referred
to is the first Primary Election HELD
UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE
FOREGOING PRoVlSo" and. accord
ingly. is the first Primary Election FOR
CANDIDATES FOR COUNTY OF
FICES, STATE SENATE AND MEN,
BEERS OF THE HOUSE OF. DELE
GATES. AND NOT THE PRIMARY
ELECTION OF CANDIDATES FOR
CONGRESS TO BE HELD THIS
YEAR.
Therefore. there is to be no election
for the adoption or rejection of the
direct vote in the matter of nominating
candidates for County offices, State
Senate and Members of the House Of
Delegates in the various Counties above
named until the first Primary Election
in each of those Counties for the nomi-
nation OF candidates FOR THOSE OF
FICES. OF course, at the first Pri-
mary Election. under the ''proyiso" re-
ferred to, those candidates are to be
nominated by Convention in each of
said Counties. and at THAT election, at
which delegates to such Conventions
are being chosen, the voters of the
respective parties shall decide whether
IN THE FUTURE the candidates for
the Offices referred to shall be nomi-
mated by direct vote or not.
Very respectfully yours.
ISAAC LOBE STRAUS.