The Newark journal., 1916-05-18
TEXT OF PROPOSED
 NEW PRIMARY LAW
Main Points of New Law Which is Being Initiated by Former Congressman Brundidge.

c lICN lIiIdly y NAS&0AOAA have been placed in circulation by former Congressman 5. Brundidge of Searcy and other members of the committee ap- pointed by the last democratic state convention to draft the measure. As soon as the requl- site number of signatures, which is in the neighborhood of 13,000, are obtained, the petition, together with a text of the proposed law, will be filed with the secretary of state, and by that official cer- tified to the various county election boards. The proposed measure provides that all or ganized political parties select ing their candidates for office through primary election shall be subject to the law, except in cases of vacancies mentioned in the act, and each party shall pay the expenses of it's own primary election, and provides that all county, district and state primaries shall be held on the same day. The bill pro- vides that the primaries shall be held on the last Tuesday in May preceding the general election. but special primary elections may be called to fill vacancies. Each political party holding primary election shall, on the first Monday after the primary, hold a countycon- vention composed of the dele gates elected at such primary election in each township and ward. The county convention shall declare the result of the primary election and select del- egates to all conventions. No candidate for office, or office holder, or deputy of any office holder shall be eligible tomem- bership on the county central committee, or as a delegate to county or district conventions, or as judge or clerk of any pri- mary election.
 The judges and clerks shall begin the counting of the bal lots immediately the close of the polls, and continue the same to completion, except in cases of sickness, when the re- judges or clerks shall continue the count. The act provides that each ballot shall be signed by the voter, and if the voter is unable to subscribe his name, the name shall be signed by one of the judges and attested by all the other judges. The proposed act is Is sections in length and throws every possible safeguard around the ballot, and makes punishment of fraud almost certain. Viola tions are punishable by fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500, and by imprison- ment in the county jail for not less than 30 days, nor more than 12 months. The follow ing are deemed misdemeanors for a violation of the act:
 Knowingly cast vote when the voter is not a qualified elector as provided herein.
 Knowingly receive a vote when the voter is not a quail fled elector as herein provided.
 Casting 2 vote in a primary of party to which the voter does not adhere to or affiliate this does not apply to any one in good faith abandoning prev ious political affiliations.
 The wrongful and fraudulent certfication of any vote or re- turn.
 A wrongful or fraudulent summary of the vote posted or filed with the county clerk.
 The destruction, abstraction or taking away of ballots, or the making of false certificates.
 The failure of judges and clerks to make or deliver the lists and certificates herein re- quired of them.
 The wilful tearing down or destruction of the summary of