The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-08-08
Changes In Primary Law
John +. Mason,
Com r. of Schools.

The legislature Of 1913 made mann
radical changes in the primary electioy
law, OF rather in the law governing
primary elections Probably tho most
important and perhaps the least un-
dcrstood !, the elimination st the en-
rollment feature Of the former pri-
mary election law This feature Of the
former law was expensive cumher
ome and unsatisfactory, particularly
to the large class Of so-called indie.
pendent voters -men who did not care
% make public declaration Of their
party allegiance
The former law required persons to-
be enrolled voters as condition to
voting at the primaries. The present
act section 81, defines the words
qualified elector to be an elector
who is qualified under the general
election law to vote for a member Of
the legislature in this state. There
fore, any registered voter may vote az
the coming primaries and will not be
restricted as to the ballot that he may
receive to any previous declaration
made By party enrolment In other
words, .he party enrolment feature Of
the primary election law is absolutely
eliminated There is another large
class Of voters. however, who will be
interested to know that section 4 Of the
act of 1913 makes the primary cleo
tion day q registration day. The sec
tion reads, in part, az follows
The inspectors shall register any
person who shall on any primary day
appear and make oath or affirmation
10 the effect that be is qualified cleo.
tor in such precinct, or when they
lthe inspectors personally know him
to be such Any person registered on
any primary day a. prescribed herein,
shall he entitled to vote at the succeed
ing election without other registra
ton
1t will thus be seen that all first
voters, that is, men who We're not en-
titled 70 registration before the 25th
of August, may appear and register on
that day and vote at the primaries,
and all pei sons who have removed from
one precinct TO another may be regis
tered and vote on primary election
day. provided they are otherwise
qualified and entitled to registration
Another point on which some of the
voters do not seem 10 be fully informed
IS the adjustment of the enrolment
feature of the primary election law.
The method Of providing different
colored ballots was also abolished. The
voters will now receive ballot similar
In form and appearance TO the ballot
received at general election He
cannot, however, without destroying
his ballot vote for candidates in more
than one column Section 30 reads,
in part. as follows
The voter, after having received
his ballot, shall enter booth. and
while there, concealed from view, pre-.
pare such ballot by making cross
in the circle beneath the beading of
the party column of the ticket be de.
sires to vote. and then making a cross
in the square at the left OF the names
Of such candidates in such column as
he may desire to vote tor
Section &c directs the election board
as to the counting OF primary election
ballots aud among other things directs
that
II the voter votes in more than one
party column the ballot shall be void
and shall not be counted
Thus, any person who votes 10 more
than one column spoils bis ballot and
does not vote for anybody.