Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1916-01-01
NEW PRIMARY LAW
What the New Primary Law Requires
in Detail by the County
Auditors.

Ever since the State Supreme court
handed down its decision to the effect
that the new primary law enacted by
the 1915 legislature superseded the Rich
ards primary law, county auditors and
other officials all over the state have
been digging into the last session laws
for the purpose of finding out all over
again what they were up against pre-
liminary to the coming primary next
spring. The county auditor of Brown
county prepared the following outline of
the provisions Of the law, which was
published in the Aberdeen American
The new primary law is in a general
way a combination of the old Crawford
primary law with the registration feat
ures distinguishing the Richards law,
but revamped and amplfied until there
is little chance of voter in the state
getting away from registration.
Nominating Candidates.
"All candidates are hereafter nomin-
ated by petitions. petition for state
Office must be filed with the secretary of
state at least 3ix weeks prior to the pri.
mary election, for a county office with
county auditor at least thirty days be-
fore the primary. A candidate must
not circulate his own petition. A petit
tion for county cffice must contain not
less than three per cent nor more than
five per cent OF the number of votes
last cast for the party candidate for gov.
ernor
ION this basis in Brown county, there.
fore, republicans petition for nomina.
ton must contain not more than lO5 or
less than 63 signers, a democratic pet
ton must bear the names of from 80 to
So signers, a prohibitionist's not more
than IL or less than six and a socialists
from five to nine.
Next springs primary will be held
on Tuesday, June 9th, 1916. Signatures
must be attached to a petition within
three months before primary, or not
before March, 1916 Anyone who de-
sires to run for precinct committeeman
Of his precinct simply prepares his own
ballots and delivers them to the judges
Of the primary but the voter may cross
ont any such names and write in anoth-
er if he chooses.
Registration Feature.
zone of the most remarkable features
Of the new law is the registration feat
ure, which is most comprehensive and
providing not only q chance
for every voter in the country to regis
ter, but an inducement to the township
and town clerks to get registration, and
a system of follow up letters to keep
the registration feature constantly before
the minds of the electors
Registration may be made with the
county auditor between the dates of
December lst and May 18th with the
county auditor, and from February Ist
to May Sth with the township or city
clerk
Clerks receive five cents for every
name registered by them.
There is little difference between the
registration books under the new law
and those used under the Richards law.
The books are in the hands of the coun-
ty auditor on and after December lst
and must be turned over to the town
ship clerks and city auditors on or be.
fore February lst, together with cards
sufficient to enroll one-third ofthe num-
0er Of voters in each precinct The
auditor retains in his office cards to the
number of one-third Of the voters Of
each precinct. From February lst to
The third Tuesday in April the clerks
and city auditors register their votes
It is the duty of the township and viii
age clerks TO 60 TO their annual election
n the spring and remain at the polls all
lay to register voters also, the duty Of
he city auditors to deliver the books to
he judges of the anaual city election
and the judges appoint one of their
number to take the enrolment. On or
before May lst the clerks return the
books to the county auditor. From May
LIST to May Sth the clerks may register
voters on cards which are forwarded to
The county auditor. Township clerks
and city auditors must make duplicate
lists of voters not registered and return
one list to the county auditor The au.
1itor then sends brief message TO each
voter not registered beseeching and en-
treating him to register. With this
message is enclosed stamped envelope
addressed back to the auditor.
Electors have also the privilege of
making up lists of voters whom they
know have not registered and may send
these lists to the county auditor, who
will then send out registration slips
aud stamped envelopes for returns to
such voters.
N Notice by Publication.
During the last two weeks in Febru.
AIRY 1t is the duty of the county auditor
10 cause to be published in the Official
papers of the county notice of where
and when registrations can be made.
This notice is repeated during the last
week IN April.
Sick and Absent Voters.
For those voters who are sick or are
otherwise prevented from registering as
above provided, special provisions have
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