South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-02-02
The Indiana
Primary Law
BY j. Elmer Peak
Attorney
QUALIFICATION OF VOTERS AT
PRIMARY.
II

son who was registered as a voter
at the general election in 1914. The
book Of registration Of voters Of each
precinct will be in the hands Of the
election boards and any voter whose
name is on this registration book
will be entitled TO vote at the pri-
mary election March Z.
Any person desiring to vote at this
primary who was not registered in
1914 may do so by making an afi-
davit before the primary election
board stating that he is a qualified
legal voter of the precinct
A voter who was not p years of
age at the election held Nov. 3. 1914,
is entitled to vote at the primary for
the candidates of the party with
which he intends TO affiliate and
whose candidates he intends to vote
for at the approaching election. if
/ he will be u years of age before the
date Of the general election.
/ Any qualified legal voter in a pre-
cinct may challenge any person Of
/ fering to vote at such election, and
when challenged such person shall
not be entitled to vote unless ne
make an affidavit that he is a quail
fed legal voter of the precinct; that
at the last preceding general cleo
ton he affiliated with the party for
whose candidates he proposes TO
/ vote in such primary; that he voted
/ for a majority of the regular nomi-
nees of such party at the last gen
eral election; and that he intends
to support and vote for the regular
nominees of such party at the COM
ing election.
If the party challenged has at
tanned the age of p since the last
general election, or will reach such
age of 81 years before the next gen
eral election, his affidavit viii be
sufficient if it states that he will be
a qualified legal voter of the pre-
cinct at the next general election,
and that he intends TO support and
vote for the regular nominees of
the party whose candidates he pro-
/ poses to vote COR in the primary.
As under the old primary law, all
/ persons desiring to vote must de-
clare to the election board with
which party they are affiliated They
! can vote only for the candidates for
nomination of the party to which
| they belong.
At primary elections in the past
this proposition has frequently ere
ated a little difficulty, as some per-
sons presenting themselves at the
primary To vote have been reluctant
TO declare themselves a member of
any party.
The theory of the law is that the
nominees of each party are selected
not by all the voters. but by the
mem bers of that party. The mem
bers OF the party undoubtedly should
have the right to select their own
candidates Any other provision
would not be equitable or just.
For example, if the voters Of one
party we're permitted to select their
own nominees, and also have their
votes counted in the selection of
nominees of opposing parties. they
might be inclined TO vote for the
strongest men of their own ticket
I and help TO nominate the weakest
candidates on the opposing tickets.
in order to insure the election of
the nominees of their party at the
/ general election.
/ 1t is for this reason that. at the
primary election, only those who are
affiliated with one of the political
/ parties whose nominees are being
/ selected at that primary are privi-
legged to vote after declaring openly
/ TO which party they belong and
which party they have supported and
intend to support at the ensuing gen
/ eral election.
The voting machines Will not be
used at the primary election March
= owing to the fact that. with the
large number of candidates in the
field. and the provision providing
that each voter may designate his
second choice in addition 10 his first
choice for an Office, the machines
cannot be used. However. the ma
chimes will again be put in use at
the general election in November as
heretofore.
The election precincts viii be the
same for the county primary cleo
/ ton as for the general elections The
county commissioners will give ten
/ 10) days notice OF the place of vot-
ing Of the several primary precincts
/ by two publications in one paper
representing each of the two lead
ing political parties of the county.
No voting place can be changed
within two days before the date Of
the primary. The polls in all pre-
cincts at the primary election will
be opened at O'Clock in the morn
ing and will continue open until 6
O'Clock at night.
The method Of balloting will be
/ by means Of the paper ballot in the
same manner as was done before the
voting machines were adopted in 81
/ Joseph county. The ballots of the
political parties participating i'm the
primary viii each have a distinc-
I tive color. and no two parties nomi-
mating candidates at the primary can
use ballot similar in color
HELP!