The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1920-08-12
EXPLANATION OF
THE PRIMARY LAWS
LETTER FROM ATTY. GENERAL
HELPFUL TO ELECTION OF
FICERS AND VOTERS

In view Of the misunderstanding
caused by the amendment of the pri-
mary laws and the filing of referen-
dunn petitions thereto, Attorney Gen
eral S. G. Ford, in response to a re-
cent request therefor, has written a
letter of explanation and instruction
for the assistance of the election Of
fcers of the state in the discharge of
their duties and for the benefit of
the voting public. The substance of
the letter is as follows:
"The Legislative Assembly, at its
regular and extraordinary sessions in
1919, passed two acts for the purpose
of amending certain sections of the
direct primary law, but by the filing
of referendum petitions these two
acts were referred, suspended and
rendered imperative, SO that the old
primary adopted at the general cleo
is still in full force and effect and
will apply to, govern and control the
primary election to be held on Aug
ust oath, and none of the provisions
of these two amendatory acts will
have any application to such cleo
ton.
Confusion Possible
Owing to the fact that the Secre-
tary of State, in printing the cleo
ton laws, caused both the original
sections of the primary law, and the
amendments attempted to be made
thereto, to be printed in such laws,
more or less confusion and misun-
derstanding prevailed at the presi-
Dental primary election held in April,
many of the judges of election not
understanding that two a~mendatory
acts had been suspended and rem
dered imperative, and attempting to
apply their provisions to such cleo
ton, instead of applying the provi-
sions Of the original law, and unless
the county clerks and the judges of
election thoroughly understand that
all of the provisions of the original
primary law will govern and con
troll the primary election on August
oath, and that none of the provisions
of the two amendatory acts have any
application to such election, the same
confusion and misunderstanding will
prevail at such election.
Need Not Declare Party
Under the provisions of the pri-
mary law in force and which will
control and govern the primary cleo
ton on August oath, an elector will
not be required to declare to the
judges his political party utilization
and will not be restricted to receiv-
ing the ballot of that political party,
but the elector will present himself
to the judges of election, and with
out stating or declaring his party
utilization, receive from the judges
of election one ballot Of each politi-
cal party, the elector then retiring
to the booth and selecting and mark
ing the ballot of the particular politi-
cal party he desires to vote, and then
folding such ballot separately, and
the other ballot not marked separ-
ately, returning all ballots to the
judges, who will deposit the ballots
in the proper boxes without having
any knowledge or information re-
garding the political party ballot vot-
ed by the elector, the only person
having any such knowledge or in
formation being the elector himself.
In other words no one but the cleo
tor himself will know which particu-
lar political party ballot the e%lector
has selected and voted.
For Election Officers
The county clerks and judges of
election will be governed by the fol
lowiwng instructions with reference
to the election laws as printed by the
Secretary of State.
Disregard entirely Sec. g., page 80,
and consider in place thereof Sec. 8,
on page SO.
Disregard entirely Sec. 10, page
45, and consider in place thereof
Sec. 10, on page SO.
Disregard entirely Sec. 16, page
48, and consider in place thereof
Sec. 16, page 60.
Disregard entirely Sec. 20, page
so, and consider in place thereof
Sec. 20, on page 90.
Disregard entirely Sec. 21, page
so, and consider in place thereof
Sec. 21, on page 81.
Disregard entirely Sec. %, page
80, and consider in place thereof
Sec. % on page 60.
Disregard entirely all of Secs. "a,
'B and &C on page 81.
The attention of the county clerks
md judges of election is called to the
provisions and requirements of Chap
err IL, Sess. Laws, 1915.
Section l of said chapter requires
ach county clerk to send to the
judges of election with the election
not less than six printed
orms, such forms to be in ballot
orm on tinted paper, the name of
ach candidate and each proposition