Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-06-29
Editors Letter Box
Independen at the Primaries

LullOI AcIlHeDeC
Is an independent voter that is,
qualified citizen who is too opinion
ated and too conscientious to enroll
as ranking member of either of the
four political parties for which official
ballots are furnished, debarred from
participating in the primary elections?
good many people over in this
section, and doubtless others through
out the State, seem to think they are
and SO most of them refrain from
voting at the primaries.
But the Secretary of State says they
are not. There is steadily increasing
number of independents hereabouts, in
line with the prevailing tendency else
where in the State and throughout the
country Ought they not to be as
much of political force in nomin
ations, as in elections?
At the recent primary election some
poor but (shockingly) honest" bank
er of this burgh carefully read the
posted card Of instructions to voters
provided by the State, in which occurs
the following:
ITO mark the ballot the voter must
place a cross (X) in the square at the
right of the name of the person for
whom he desires to vote. If the name
is not on the ballot he may write or
print in the same in the column under
the proper heading provided for the
same and make cross to the right
Of the name so written or printed. He
must make no erasures."
Receiving Republican ballot when
his name was marked on the check
list, he entered the booth and upon re-
turning cast the following ballot:
For United States Senator Freder-
ick Hale, Portland. Governor, limo
thy F. Callahan. Lewiston: State Au-
ditor. ]. Edward Sullivan, Bangor;
Representative to Congress, John +.
Bunker, Eden; State Senators, Willis
A. Kicker, Chas. H. Wood; County
Attorney, Fred L. Mason; Register of
Probate, Roy G. Haines: Sheriff. Forest
o. Silsby; County Commissioners,
Howard B. Moore, Sherman S. Scam
mon: County Treasurer. Boyd A.
Blaisdell; Representative to Legisla-
ture, Fulton J. Redman.
This in the count-up was thrown out
as detective" but the municipal Off
GERS desiring authoritative advice in
tfc HldIt6T, enclosed the DallOC WIN q
letter asking for instructions to the
Secretary Of State who promptly sent
the following reply:
State of Maine.
Augusta, June 21st, 1916.
Department of State.
Municipal Officers Great Pond, Maine:
Gentlemen:-In acknowledging yours
of June 10 enclosing Republican bal
lot considered by you defective, you
are respectfully advised that such
ballot is not defective 1t simply
shows that while the candidates voted
for on this ballot were generally Re-
publican, Mr.. Sullivan received one
vote for State auditor and / received
one vote for Representative to Con-
gress.
In making your returns of the Re-
publican vote, YOU should give Mr..
Roy l.. Wardwell the number of votes
he received on other ballots. and ].
Edward Sullivan one vote. Also you
should allow Mr.. Peters all votes he
received on other ballots, as Represen-
tative to Congress, and credit me
with one vote as Republican candidate
for Congress.
herein return the ballot to you In
case Of an inspection of the ballots
cast in your election, so that you will
have the full number on hand.
Personally. I very much appreciate
the good will Of the gentleman who
voted for me. and when it Is consid-
cred that he went to the bother of
writing my name in on a Republican
ballot. 1t certainly shows exception
ally good will on his part.
Very respectfully yours,
JOHN E. BUNKER.