The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1917-05-31
Governor Fraziers Election Pro-
clamatiOn


"1n accordance with the provisions
of law, I, Lynn J. Frazier, governor Of
the state of North Dakota, do hereby
give notice that on Tuesday, the tenth
dav of July, 1917 a special election
will be held in each precinct in each
of the counties comprising the First
congressional district for the election
of a successor to the late Honorable
II. T. Helgesen, representative in con-
gress from the said First congresslon>
al district, to fill out the uneXplred
term. The nominations of the candi-
dates to be voted for in said election
shall be made under the provisions of
Sections sol Of the Political Code OF
1899 wherein provision is made for
nomination by petition. Let the pub
lie and all election officers take due
notice and act accordingly.
"Therefore, I proclaim that the said
tenth day of July, 1917, shall be term
ed and held to be a special election
day for that portion of the state EN-,
braced in the First congressional dis
trict.'
Bismarck, May 25.-Under the law
providing that nominations must be
made by petition, Governor Lynn Fraz
Ter today named July 10 as the date
Tor the holding of the election in the
FIRST district to elect a successor to
the late Congressman H. T. Helgesen
Party designations and the princi
pies or the platform Of the candidates
Z - t11 >01l lat
Governor Frazier delayed the calling
of the election after the death of the
hate congressman so that seeding op
erations could be completed and ev
eryone would have more time to par
ficiEaAs~ Because of question as tt
which law would govern the election
the governor requested an opinion O
Attorney General LANCER, who hell
that the election should be held unde
the section cited above in the procla
nation and that the nomination
should be made by petition. TIL
opinion Of the attorney genera! is on
of much interest as he held that tn
old party caucus and the conventio
system are gone forever in North D.
kota. He traces the history of pr
mary elections legislation from 1907
when the original law affecting city
county and legislative Offices was pas;
cd, down through the amendments {
1907 extending primary jurisdiction
state, court and congressional Office
and the amendments of 1909, 1911:
1913 and 1915. He holds that the pr
mary law and amendments repeal tn
old convention system.
1T becomes evident from it's hi
tory, that the primary election law {
North Dakota reveals plain attemI
to eliminate the old method of choo
ing party candidates by the caucus an
convention system with all of the a
legged evils of political machine met
DDS and to establish the individu;
right to become candidate for an OF
fee either upon party platform {
individual principles" says the alto
ney generals opinion in part TIL
opinion further states: LAS the p1
mary election law became operativ
even vacancies occurring in Offices
be filled at the primaries, or even +:
the election, thereafter to be he'll
were not filled under the old conve
ton system, but by provisions of II
statute in the primary election law, /
constituted committeeman elected az
provided for by the terms OF the p1
mary election law.
Accordingly, after the primary e,e
ton law became effective there I
NAMED no single instance where Il
old caucus and convention syste
served or pretended to serve any pu
pose whatsoever under the law, whet
Or to make nominations or to fill v
sancies. The primary election la
served specifically by its own prov
ions either to nominate directly at
primary election or to specifically pl
vide for filling vacancies or otherwi
provide in cases of special elections.
In other words, it is apparent tn
there are existing after the adoption
the victorious primary election la,
only three available methods to
elective offices.
"First-Selection of candidates
der the primary election law at e,
eral elections.
standardization of candidates
ill vacancies occurring in offices, to
allied pursuant to the provision of t
primary election law.