The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-08-25
The Primary Law.

MeSSrS. Editors.
A communication published in several
OF the dalies containing an opinion from
Attorney General Strauss, in reply TO a
letter from this city from prominent pol
Itlcian of the Democratic party, asking a
/ construction of the section of the Primary
Law relative to voting in districts, pre-
( CinctS, etc.
The law sent to the Supervisors of
: Elections for their guidance is herewith
submitted
'All candidates for public office in Bal
tlmore City and the several counties of
the State, intending candidates for Con
gress and for the Office of Judge, and all
delegates, managing bodies. executives
and executive committees of the several
political parties subject to the Act, for
/ Baltimore City and the several counties,
shall be nominated selected and chosen
by the direct vote of the duly registered
voters belonging to or acting with such
parties, respectively. in every precinct,
ward councilmanic, legislative or other
election district in Baltimore City and also
in the several counties of the State of
Maryland, respectively, and in each and
every election precinct and election dis
trict of said counties of the State of Mary
land, respectively, it being the intent and
purpose of the Act that all such candi-
dates for public office of delegates to said
party conventions and of managing bod
les, executives or executive committees
OF any such political party, whenever the
political party usage provides for such
executives or executive committees. shall
be nominated as aforesaid by the direct
vote of the duly registered voters belong
ing to or acting with such parties, respec-
lively, in Baltimore City or any princinct,
ward, councilmamc or legislative district
thereof, or in any county or district or
precinct thereof as the case, with respect
to anv public office or position aforesaid,
NAV be; and no candidate for such public
office of delegates TO such convention,
party executive or executive committee
or managing body of any such political
body, as aforesaid in and for Baltimore
City or the several counties of the State,
shall be chosen or elected by any such
political convention otherwise than by the
duly registered voters belonging to or
acting with said political parties, as afore-
said. (Section 1904. J"
In accordance with the above instruc-
tons the Supervisors prepared the ballots
and supplied places for the primaries,
and are fully justified in pursuing the
course mapped out, and are personally
responsible for their act The Election
Supervisors of Frederick county cannot
and will not aid any factiona fight in
either party, whether it is to their interest
to elect in precincts or districts. The
districts. were subdivided for the benefit
and convenience of the voters, registra-
ton books were prepared in accordance
Herewith and the election will be con-
Quoted honestly and fairly, as they have
always been since the incumbency of the
present board. The Republican party
elected their candidates in precincts I'M
der this same law. and by the instructions
of this same Attorney General, and we
see no cause why we should CRAFTY few
ambitious politicians to accomplish their
selfish motives by making change. The
expense,of the election IN precincts does
not exceed the election in districts, which
any fair minded man can readily see, as
the number to be counted in the Second
District would be 32S votes. and If placed
in precints the number would be only 4I
votes.
AS we had no official communication
from the Attorney General we have con-
Guided all preparations for the election,
and if the conditions were fully under
stood by Mr.. Strauss he surely would not
send a communication SO inconsistent
with the former views given.
The Board of Supervisors did not re-
ceive any Instructions from either the
Democratic or Republican Central Com
mttees relative to the holding of the
primaries in districts or precincts. as they
no doubt were sufficiently familiar with
the law to know that they had NO juris-
diction in the matter
SUPERVISORS OF ELECTIONS FOR
FREDERICK COUNTY, MD.