Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-01-07
OBJECTIONS TO
SPECIAL PRIMARY
List of Qualified Voters Not
Available Until After
June /.
LEGISLATURE TO ACT
General Assembly Has Power to Pro-
vide Special Electorate For Pri-
mary Plan in Spring

Richmond, Ian. 7.-Virginia Demo
Gratis have been quick to point out the
objections to the suggestion that the
Legislature amend the primary law
so as to provide for the holding of a
special primary this spring to elect
delegates to the National Democratic
convention and a National Democratic
committeeman from the State.
The delegating of this function
hitherto performed by the State con-
vention-to primary, it is objected
first, will mean nothing less than the
death of the convention, and with 1t
the destruction Of the community of
interest that the convention has con-
served between Democrats of far
separated sections of the State.
In his statement, Tuesday, recon-
mending the amendment Of the pri.
mary law to make possible a COM
pliance with the rule adopted by the
Baltimore National Convention re-
quiring delegates to the convention
to be chosen by primary, Lieutenant
Governor Ellyson agreed that this
would detract largely from the in
terest in the State convention, prob
ably accomplishing its death as Il
party institution.
Another difficulty has bcc: suggest
cd in connection with ascertaining who
would he qualified to vote in Il priri-
ary to be held in May, for example.
City Treasurer Henry P, Adams, "t
Lynchburg, has drawn attention to
the act that the treasurcrs OF the
State cannot file the ist Of poll taxes
paid until after June 6, since undo"
the law voters will be allowed until
this date to pay their capitations. The
treasurers will have thirty days in
which 20 file their lists with the cour.
clerks, who must provide copies o.
them before they are available for
the conduct of an election, primary
or otherwise.
Under the general provisions OF the
primary law, every person qualified
to vote in an election is also quail
fled to vote in the primary, which
preccdes that election. Thus voters
qualified to vote in the election Of
next November for members Of
Congress will have the right to vote
in the August primary.
The fact that complete list Of the
voters qualified to participate in the
November election will not be avail
able until about July /, however, has
the effect of complicating the qucs
ton of who should be permitted to
take part in a primary to be held be-
fore the lists are available-a May
primary as has been suggested. In
order to be used for the election of
delegates to the National Demo-
cratic Convention. such a primary
would have to be held before June IA
the date of the convention at st.
Louis.
Party authorities admitted yester-
day that nice problem was involved
but were of the belief that it can
easily be solved by the General As
sembly. The Legislature, it was
pointed out, having created the pres
ent primary law, can just as readily
amend it to make the electorate parti-
cipating in the primary independent
of the electorate participating in the
general election.
Should the General Assembly de-
eide to move up the August primary to
date in May or early in June it
could provide for example, that all
persons qualified to vote in the last
preceding election, and those who
have since qualified shall be able to
participate in it. Participation in the
general election, which is governed
by general law and the Constitution.
would, under this plan. be il. nowise
related to or contingent upon a vot-
er's having been. qualified to take
part in the special primary.
Ask Frimini. at New Opera House.