The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-01
LIGHT VOTE IN
FIFTH KANSAS
PRIMARY TODAY
Cooler Weather May Increase
Early Estimates.
Heated Local Contests VIII
Stimulate BallOting.
BIG FIGHT IN SIXTH DISTRICT
Max Anderson and Otis Benton
in Bitter Contest.
Voting for State, Congressional,
District, County, Township.

Kansas is today holding her fifth
statewide prina4 , for the selection of
candidates for state, congressional
district county and township ot1lces-
Voting started this morning in nearly
$500 wards and voting precincts, win
early returns indicating an unusually
light vote. Improved weather condi-
tions gave hope for an increase in the
early estimate of the total vote OF the
state Returns from over the state,
however, indicate that even in the race
Of heated 10 al contests in many coun-
ties the vote of the state may not eX-
ceed $50, 900 of a possible 9OO.OOo-
AS a result of today's primaries, the
state house was today almost deserted.
Numerous state officials, clerks ana
denartment heads left Monday ana
Monday night for their home towns
and today the stenographers are in
charge of affairs in most state ottlces-
Returns tonight will come to To-
relxa slowly. Interest in local fights
will in many localities result in a first
count of the county vote. Then, when
convenient, the state votes Will De
chaIked up and the returns sent TO
Topeka. Except in cases of iano-
slide to individual candidates. results
from several state contests may pc IN
doubt until some time wednesday
Returns Will Be Slow.
Persons interested in the statewide
returns must wait patiently Wnlle the
single election board marks up the
tally sheets and sends in the returns.
The same election board Whlch VIII
today care for the voters, must tonight
count the votes, check up the returns
and file their report Many OF these
boards are composed of men and wo-
men old i'll years and with defective
sight and hearing. When the state
legislature created the double election
board, it did not provide speclncaIly
for operation of the revised election
system in the primaries. Under rul-
ing of the attorney generals office. the
double election board will work only
in November. Single boards must stay
on the job until the finish in todays s
primaries
Early returns today indicated keen
interest in fights in a number of dis
tricts. A heavy vote is expected in
the Sixth district as the result of the
long, bitter fight of Max Anderson and
Otis L. Benton for the Republican
congressional nomination. Similar
conditions exist in the Fourth district
where Clyde w. Miller, H. F. Martin
dale. H. ], Hodgson and w. H. Math-
ews are fighting for the nomination
Big Vote in Wyandotte.
fight between U. s. Guyer and E.
c. Little, for the Second district nomi-
nation, today brought out big vote
in Wyandotte county. Both men live
in Kansas City, Kansas.
In Usage county, the fight to defeat
James Pringle for the senatorial nomi-
nation is the chief matter of concern
and has aroused the voters to the
point of forgetting the heated weather
and going to the polls. Pringle was
formerly speaker of the house.
The Wayman-Plumb senatorial
fight in Lyon, the Carnahan-Myers
contest in Clay. and the Carroll-Cot-
ton senatorial contest in Wabaunsee
county will aid in securing a heavy
vote in the respective counties Except
in the home counties of the candidates,
there is little interest or concern in
the state contests. Wylie w. Cook, as
sistant state treasurer and candidate
for nomination for treasurer, left Mon
day night for his home in Kansas
City, Kan. Frank Organ, assistant
auditor and candidate for promotion.
has gone to his home in Howard,
while ]. T. Botkin, secretary of state,
left Monday night for his home in
Galena. Justice Silas Porter votes to-
day in Kansas City. w. E. Davis, state
auditor, votes in Dodge City; Chief
Justice W. A. Johnston votes in Min
neapolis; Earl Akers, state treasurer,
votes in Stafford, while S. M Brew
ster attorney general, votes in Troy.
Cooler weather today promised to
aid in bringing out the voters. But
the decided lack of interest in other
than local contests is expected to in
sure light vote. Even a personal ap-
peal by Governor Capper has failed to
a ouse the voters. Political observers
predict that one-SiXth of the voters
of the state will today express a pref
erence for state candidates That
would mean vote of 10000.