The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-28
By Chas. o. Andrews, Asst Atty.
General

A great number of voters believe
that they weaken or lessen the
chance of their first choice candid
ate by voting a second choice
authorized by our present primary
law
This is indicated by the fact that
the official state canvass of the pri-
mary election held in 1914 shows
that only little more than half of
the voters expressed second choice
Under our method of tallying and
canvassing III is impossible for "a
voters second choice to lessen or
initiate against the chances of his
first choice to any degree whatever.
Section SO of the primary law pro-
vides as follows:
If any candidate for an Office shall
receive a majority of first choice
votes he shall be declared nominated
for such office. If no candidate shall
receive such majority of first
choice votes, then the nomination for
such office shall be determined by
excluding from further consideration
the candidacy of all except the two
candidates who shall have received
the greatest and next to the greatest
number of first choice votes, or the
greatest and equal number of first
choice votes, and by adding to such
first choice votes of each of said two
candidates the second choice votes
cast for him by those voters whose
first choice votes shall have been
cast for any of the candidates ex-
cluded as herein provided.
The portion above seems to be the
least understood of any part Of the
primary law. The two candidates re-
ceiging the highest number of votes
go into what may be termed a
second primary" In fact, it was
intended for and has the same re-
suits as second primary, as held
under the primary law of this state
prior to 1913.
We offer the following to sustain
our assertion that the voter to ac-
complish most with his ballot should
always vote a second choice
If voters first choice candidate
is eliminated, not being one OF the
highest first choice men, the second
choice vote of that voter must be
counted when cast for either of the
two men in the second primary"
III a voters first and second choice
candidates are in the second pri.
mary" by reason of their being the
two highest first choice men, his
second choice vote cannot be counted
for the reason that this would per,
NIT ones second choice vote to can.
eel his first choice.
When this condition becomes wei
understood it will undoubtedly cause
a better expression as to politica
preference to come from the voters
In fact, the lack of understanding
this feature has caused a great num
Der of voters to cast only q frs
choice, thinking that by so joips
they helped their first choice can
didate more than he would, had n
also voted second choice. He is il
the same attitude voter was (uD
der the old primary law who didn
care to vote in the second primar!
because the man he was supporting
in the first primary was defeated
he, in other words, is put in the atti
tude of not having any choice as be
tween any two men left in the FACE
which the writer contends should b.
the isolated exception and not TIM
rule even in a few instances.
The tally sheets used at the pre-
cincts are SO arranged that an aCcu
rate tabulation and return thereo
is easily made of all first choic,
votes so as to show for whom tn
same voters cast their second choice
For example, the certificate of re
turn, where there are five candidate
for one Office. when correctly tille'
out, shows something like the follow
ing:
Two hundred electors voted 20
first choice votes for A.
ID
And "a second choice votes for I
And &c second choice votes for {
And AZ second choice votes for [
And 5S second choice votes for I
ca
Two hundred fourteen electoi