Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1914-07-10
A Statewide Primary Law

1t is interesting to note In con
nection with the agitation OF the
Statewide Primary question, the
stand taken by Hon. Zebulon
Weaver, senator from Buncombe
county. Mr.. Weaver states that
in the event of his reelection,
which is practically certain, ne
will introduce, when the next
legislature convenes, a State
wide Primary bill of the thor
ough-going kind, one which
will mark quite a departure from
the imitation measure contem-
plated by the recent state con
vention.
In a statement made to the
Greensboro Daily News, Mr..
Weaver SAYS: If elected as
senator from Buncombe county
at the general election to be held
in November, it is my purpose
to offer in the General ASSEM-
bly, a bill providing for State
wide Primaries to be held by all
parties for the purpose Of select
ing nominees for congressional,
state, judicial, legislative and
county officers, or to advocate
any adequate bill offered by any
other member of the General AS
sembly for that purpose.
1t is we'll recognized that this
is a government in which its off
GERS are selected through parties
and the officers of the govern
ment, especially its legislative
officers, can only hope to accom-
plish and carry out what the
people desire when such officers
have behind them party sup
port. AT present, of course, all
Of our officers are elected at gen
erai elections, in which the re-
spectiye parties have selected
their nominees and offered such
nominees to be voted for by par
ty adherents. If a Democrat,
Republican, Progressive or So
ciaIist desires to affiliate with his
party in the general elections he
necessarily has to vote for the
nominees so offered to him and
placed upon the party ticket. 1t
therefore becomes to my mind
as important to the people and to
the members of any party that
they have as much right under
legalized primary elections to vote
for and participate in the selec-
ton of the party nominees to be
voted for at a general election
as to participate in such general
election itself.
Mr.. Weaver goes on to explain
in detail the need of such a law
ana the benefits TO be derived
from its working. 70 any one
familiar with the present hap
hazard and in many cases no.
toriously unfair methods used
under the present primary plan,
the benefits to be derived from
the new primary law do not have
to be pointed out. Mr.. Weaver's
bill contemplates the preventing
] of fraud and illegal methods in
primary elections to the same
extent as elections now held for
the final naming of all officers.
1t requires all primaries by all
parties to be held on the same
day, under the supervision of a
board of primary elections in
each county and in the state
and provides that this board
shall be selected in some manner
that will be fair to all parties
and that will insure a just and
fair election, count and return of
the votes of each candidate of
any party.
Another good point in Mr..
Weaver's proposed bill is the
clause providing that any person
desiring to become a candidate
for the nomination of any office
upon the ticket of any party,
may file a written statement
with the board of primary cleo
tons and the tickets for each
party shall be printed and issued
under the direct supervision of
the board of primary elections,
by the state board for state Off
ces and by the county board for