The Ordway new era., 1912-09-06
How to Vote at
Primary Tuesday
Directions Intended to Aid the
Bewildered Voter Exercise
His Glorious F Franchise

Notoaooc SPs Su~N'N e'A o''- ~
the best posted men in the state. has
prepared an article for the guidance
of voters in the first state primary, to
occur next Tuesday. from which we
excerpt the following points:
Although the word Republican" is
used in this for purposes Of illustra-
ton the same application can be made
to voters affiliated" with the Demo-
cratic organization.
II you are affiliated with the Re-
publican party you can vote the Re-
publican ticket in the primaries.
Your vote in the primaries does
not necessarily mean that you will
cast your ballot for every Republican
on the ticket at the election. You
can scratch your ticket On election
dav in November and vote as you
"lcase-just as you have always done
and it will have nothing to do with
your vote at the primary in Septem-
Der.
The matter OF presidential electors
occupies no part or place in the pri-
mary to be held over the state on
Tuesday. September 10th. The names
of neither Democratic nor Republican
presidential clcctors-or those OF any
party-will be voted for or occupy
place on the primary ballot on Sep
tembcr Ioth-electors will appear only
on the November election ballot.
Let us employ an illustration to
make plain the proceeding for every
voter who goes to the primaries to
vote on Tuesday. September 10th.
He enters the polling place. The
judges of election hand him two bal
lots, fastened together. One of these
41haiiotS contains the list OF candidates
seeking nomination before the Demo-
Gratis of the state-the other is a Re-
publican ballot containing the names
of those nominated by the assembly
and by petition, seeking nomination
at the hands Of the Republicans Of
the stats..
The voter is handed two ballots so
that he may preserve the secrecy of
his ballot. No one is supposed to
know which one he votcs-but he can
use only one of them.
The voter enters the booth. If he
is affiliated with the Republican par
ty he takes the Republican ballot.
votes for the ones he desires to nomi-
nate. folds up both ballots and walks
out of the booth.
He then hands the ballot he has
marked-the Republican ballot-to
one OF the judges OF election and it is
placed in a box for marked ballots.
lhe other bAllot-the Democratic
ballot given him. which he did not
marks placed in a receptacle for
blank ballots.
The purpose of this is to avoid the
voters asking either for a Democrat
ic or Republican ballot. thereby
making public his preference and null
llfying the intent of the law, which
is to preserve the secrecy OF the bal
lot
The. law as construed by able law
yers gives the word party affiliation"
a wide range. If you have usually
voted Republican ticket, or been
regarded as Republican in the vi
cinity in which you live, you have
been affiliated" with the Republican
party. I
The fact that you have scratched
the Republican ticket in the past does
not mean that you are not affiliated
with that party-or that you are 60
ing to scratch your ticket in the No
vember election. following the pri
mary, does not mean that YOU are
not affiliated" with the Republican
party.
The purpose and intent of the pri
mary law as intended by the Legisla-
ture is: ta) to preserve the secrecy
OF the ballot; (b) to prevent one par
ty from voting the ticket of the op
positc party in 'order to guarantee a
majority for some political party plan
or principle.
Under the provisions Of the law,
therefore, you can vote but one ticket.
and this year that ticket must be
either Republican or Democratic
ticket. The law requires that a par
ty, to appear on he primary ballot,
must have cast at least ten per cent.
of the votes cast at the prec eding
,,ooor,I a1ert;op Tie