Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-09
LAW FORB|D|.s ELECTION
OFFICERS TO ASK VOTES
Digest Of New Primary Law Ready
for Distribution by Secretary
of Commonwealth.
SOME IMPORTANT RULINGS
Candidates Prohibited From Paying
Persons to Obtain Signatures to
Their Petitions OF Candidacy.
Cannot Hire Vehicles Election Day.

Secretary Of the Commonwealth 3.
v. James yesterday received from the
public printer the summary of opin-
IONS bearing on the primary election
laws of the State rendered by Attor-
neH-General John Garland Pollard since
'hc General Assembly adjourned.
The summary is printed for the In
formation OF election officers. city and
county officials and citizens generally.
ana viii be widely distributed. Copies
VIII be sent to any one in the State on
application 10 the office Of the Secre-
tary Of the Commonwealth. Four weeks
remain OF the time in which candi.
dates for the State Senate and House
Of Delegates must announce themselves
and qualify in order to get their names
on the ballot. The new election laws
viii apply for the first time In the Au-
gust primary. One of the new provi-
sions forbds election officers to solicit
votes for any candidate. Under the old
law IL was Il common practice for
judges and clerks of election to solicit
votes for their friends. They were re-
sponsblc for their activities in this
line only TO the party committees TO
which they owed their appointment.
ELECTION OFFICERS
CANNOT SOLICIT VOTES
The new law makes 1t a crime for an
election Judge TO solicit support for any
particular candidate. All cases of cleo
tion contest are to be tried hencefor-
ward in the courts instead OF before
the party committees.
On the question OF vote solicitation
by election officers the opinion OF the
Attorney General rends as follows:
Any Judge or clerk OF election who
attempts during the progress OF the
election to influence voters to vote for
or against any candidate Is guilty OF a
l. b
ment by fine or imprisonment. - BOTH
The new law prohibits Candidates
from paying persons TO obtain sigma
lures TO their petitions OF candidacy.
II Is also made unlawful for any can
didate TO hire vehicles to convey voters
TO the polls on election day. and every
expenditure of every kind and descrip-
ton is prohibited. except for purposes
especially mentioned in the act itself.
CANDIDATES MUST
ENTER By JUNE 4
June is the last day on which can
d!datcs may enter the primary. which
is set for August 8.
Those who voted against the Demo-
cratic nominees AT the last congress
ional election will not be permitted TO
vote in the primary, although they may
announce their Willingness TO support
the nominee OF the primary.
young man becoming OF age before
the general election November 2 may
at any time before the primary pay the
first years poll tax, register and vote
at the primary. although he may not be
twenty-one on the date OF the pri-
mary.
The rule OF the State Democratic
committee excluding negroes from
democratic primaries is held valid.
The new act Furnishes, with fine or
imprisonment or both. any attempt on
the part OF the Judges or clerks OF cleo
ton to influence voters TO vote for or
against any candidate during the pro-
gress OF the election.