Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-12-17
DIVISION
FINDS PRIMARY
LAW INADEQUATE
Numerous Weaknesses in Act
Pertaiaing to SenatOrship
Revealed in Report.
SECRETARY OF STATE
CANNOT OBTAIN RETURNS
Is Made Canvasser, but Has No
y Machinery Provided
for Work.
Isneo,sa to the Newark star.1

TRENTON, Dec. 17.-Numerou'
| weaknesses In the new primary Law
pertaining W the Endorsement for candi
dates for thu United States Senate ar
revealed by the report of the election
division of the department of stat
submitted to Governor Fort today. Thu
department contends that the incom'
ing Legislature should SO amend this
statute so as to make more certain tht
compilation of election returns wher
the people are called upon to express
a choice for United States senator.
Under the law the secretary of STATE
constitutes a canvassing board to can
vass returnn. When the act was pu'
into effect this ear it was found thai
the Legislature failed to provide the
state department with adequate ma
chinery to perform the work. NJ time
was specified when county clerks were
to certify the returns to the secretary
of state, nor was there a method pro
vided for compelling either election
boards or the municipal clerks to make
proper returns. There is no specia
time set when the state department
was to officially declare the result; tht
law in this respect provided: "Shal
be done prior to the converting of thu
session of the Legislature"
l. The report shows that the defects
in the law made it extremely Difficult
to receive the returns. In many in
stances the district boards of election
failed to file proper certificates Will
the municipal clerks, n the latter II
a number of cases did not make proper
return to the county clerks. 1t was
fifteen days after the primaries before
the department was able to announce
the result, and even then h returns
from Deptford township, Gloucestel
county. had not been filed. Three re
turns are still missing, although the
county clerk and several citizens have
made personal efforts to secure them
Commenting upon the weakness o.
the law as regards the machinery o.
its operation, the report says:
weakness of Law.
1.-The act constituted the secretary OF
state a ~canvassing board to canvas
the returns of this election, but neg
lected to provide adequate machinery
for performing the work No limita'
ton was placed upon the time within
which the county clerk should certify
the returns to the secretary of state
Neither was there any method pro
vided for compelling either the cleo
ton boards or the municipal clerks tC
-x-1A l1I 1900, 1+r-c Nnr xynS
there any special time mentioned with
in which the secretary of state must
officially announce the result, the act
providing only that it shall be don
prior to the converting of the session
of the Legislature
"This division accordingly made il
very difficult to obtain the result OF
this election. In many instances the
district boards of election failed t
file the proper certificates with the
municipal clerks. In many other in
stances the municipal clerks failed Il
make proper returns to the county
clerks. Indeed, in one election district
that of Deptford township, Gloucester
county, the returns have not yet beel
made, although the county clerk ant
several citizens have made personal eff
forts to secure such returns.
1T should be said in this connec
ton that the county clerks, without ex
ception, earnestly cooperated with tn,
State department in obtaining the re
turns; but even with this cooperation
fifteen days had elapsed since the cleo
vote could be made, and this announce
| Y,,1H.t LA1 20 h. ran1A NrtfL H. 49,
from Deptford township estimates
upon unofficial advices. The Legisla
ture might well consider The adyiSa
bility of providing more adequate ma
chinery for canvassing and announcing
the vote of such election
No Returns from Ocean.
The report contains the official an
nouncement of the senatorial prefer
ence vote with the explanation alread.
made as to the returns from Deptfor
township. The returns show tina
James e. MARITIME, Democrat, receive
48,458; Frank NJ. McDermit, Democrat
1875; Edward c. Stokes, Republican
80, ISL; Charles N. Fowler, Republican
1883; Franklin Murphy, Republican
8 1929. Not a single Democratic vot
was reported as having been cast Il
Ocean county, and consequently non
are included in the returns.
There have already Deer two re
ports of committees appointed for tn
purpose of revising the election law
one by the Senate committee of 1905
the other by a specially appointed com
mittee of 1909. Neither of these re
ports has been acted upon. Eithe
would serve as a very efficient basil
for preparing a revision which Nigh
serve the needs of the State for sew
r a years, with slight amendment.