The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-04-05
BRYAN,s PRIMARY BILL

Mr.. y. P. Bryan, United States SEN
ator from Florida. has drafted a new
primary law, which ne explains as fol-
lows to County Chairman Blackburn
OF HIllsborough. Tt looks to the star
like good bill:
Dear Sir: 1 have completed the draft
Of the primary election law except that
/ intend TO add a section providing
that when the voter is challenged he
shall make an affidavit setting forth
the matters he Is required to state
under oath at the time OF his regis
tration, and sign the same; and except
that I intend to re-enaet the substance
of sections TO, 203 10 EOS, Of the gen
era1 statutes OF course, there are a
few provisions of mere detail to be at
tended TO before the bill is printed
You will observe that the main fea-
lures Of the bill are:
Keep Registration List Clean
First. A new registration list every
two years. It seems to me that this Is
very important, because it keeps a live
registration list and because only In
this way can the pamphlet published
at state expense. although contributed
10 by candidates. be placed in the
hands of voters OF a particular party.
In addition to this 1t will almost in
sure, In my opinion, the prevention of
fraud in voting, such as personating
another voter. Any voter might be
able to state that his name was that
OF the voter he intended to personate,
but It Is hardly possible that any voter
could sit down and fill in an affidavit
containing all the statements Of fact
required OF a voter when he registers,
and also, without ever having the OPP
portunity to see his signature, to
counterfeit it.
Second. Enabling a candidate at an
expense not to exceed $500 or $500 to
make the race and have in the hands
OF each voter in his party his claims
to the office. This is undertaken to be
accomplished by the provision for a
pamphlet. and for an expense Of $500
contributed to the publication of that
pamphlet he can reach every voter in
the state; whereas, heretofore 1t has
cost at least $4,000 and then he has
not been sure, because of the difficulty
OF obtaining lists of qualified voters,
that each voter has received his plat
form or statement When you take
into consideration the getting together
of registration list from each county
in the state, 1 believe you will agree
that my estimate of $4,000 for get
ting into the hands of each voter a
pamphlet or letter has been under
estimated.
Permits First and second Choice
Third. The abolition of the second
primary by giving voters an oppor-
tunity in one primary to vote for their
first and second choice. The theory
upon which this provision has been
worked out has been to preserve the
right OF the voters who voted for a
candidate who otherwise would have
been defeated in the first primary to
vote at that primary as between the
two highest candidates This provi-
sion also saves very great expense, as
a yOne familiar with this work knows
that the greatest expense is between
the two primaries. And again, voters
will be encouraged to come out to the
only primary that will be held, where
as heretofore many have stayed away
from the first, believing that no choice
would result and a second primary
would have to be held.
Fourth. The primary is to be held at
state expense and for all parties on the
same day, and the date is to be as fix
ed as the date of the general election.
You will observe that a man has to
register the party to which he belongs,
and that he will not be permitted to
vote any other ticket than the ticket
OF the party to which he says he be-
longs; and If he makes a false state
ment I will provide, before finish the
bill, that he will be punished as for
perjury.