The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-01-01


On such small things do nomina-
tons sometimes depend under our
primary law. | say these are the
probable reasons which account for
many of the votes cast at the pri-
maries. This is not said In dis
of the intelligence of the
voters, but to show the short comings
of the primary law.
Minority Nominations
The votes are east and counted.
The candidates for each office in
each party are named. In cases of
contest the nominations are probably
made by a minority vote of those
cast at the primaries, and in nearly
all cases of contest, by a decided
of the party strength. This
is the first law in Idaho whereby a
candidate could be nominated by a
minority vote of a party. In primary
elections but one ballot can be taken
Under the discarded convention sys-
tenn where the entire party strength
was voted by representatives of the
voters themselves, no one could be
nominated, and receive the indorse-
ment of the party, without receiv-
ing that proportion of the total vote
provided by the convention rules,
never less than a majority. He was
tried by fire in the crucible of the
party convention, and discarded If
found wanting. Ballot after ballot is
taken, If needed, and many a candi-
date who received the same minority
that would have nominated him in
the primaries, has been rejected as
unfit by the convention and better
man named In the convention sys-
tenn no opposition voter could take
part and help nominate weak can
didate.
buncnlHlS O1Hc0S s..
The ticket is thus named for the
voters at the general election. In
looking over those nominated it is
found that the tendency of the aver
,age voter to vote for those known
to him, or of whom he has heard,
of who have been recommended by a
friend, has worked its logical result.
The nominations go to the centers of
population in both county and state
tickets. A man we'll known in Boise
has 5000 votes behind him at the
start, while an equally good man,
|equally we'll known in Podunk, has
twenty. A just geographical distri-
button is lost. The county officers
go largely to the large town, and the
state officers to Boise. Another tend
ency of this method of voting is to
perpetuate men in office. An office
holder is known to more men than a
new man, and gets more votes. This
tendency makes it hard for new
man to break into politics and keeps
many good men out to the detriment
of our public affairs at times.
The conclusion is obvious. 1t
shows that in the localities having
candidates for office on the state
ticket, and in counties having domin-
ating towns, that people will vote the
ticket of another party, either as a
favor to their candidate friend, or
to help their own party in the general
election by nominating weak candi-
date on the opposition ticket at the
primaries. 1t shows that the primary
law is so faulty that it permits OF
one party controlling the the nomina-
ton of the other party to this extent.
In so far as the law permits manipu-
lat on to the extent of nominating
the weaker candidates for office on
the ticket of any dominant party, ii
is not only menace to the public
good, but it has tendency to weaken
such dominant party in public conf
dence, to disintegrate it and to de-
stroy it.
Basis for Nominations
In the state at large but so pei
cent of the voting strength shown al
the general election was cast at the
primaries. This so per cent did the
nominating of the ticket The Other
40 per cent was entirely unrepresent.
ed. An examination OF the returns
lof the state by precincts would DC
necessary to show the distribution OF
this represented so per cent and the
unrepresented 40 per cent and I have
not this data at hand In a general
way, however, one class of voters
have easier access to the polls thar
another, and so are less handicapped
These are the suburban jewellers
The farmers usually live considerable
distance from the polling places, have
to make greater sacrifices to vote
and are handicapped on this account