South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-04-22
LEADERS EXPECT
TROUBLE FINDING
ELECTION CLERKS
With Primary Coming May 4,
Poor Wages Are Blamed
For Shortage.

with the primary eleCtlon. May
4. looming on the horizon and the
work of naming the election officials
still uncompleted, a great deal OF
comment has been heard regarding
the procedure and eventual results
Of the failure TO perfect the organ
ization as required by the election
and primary laws. 1t is pointed out
that considerable difficulty has been
experienced in finding voters who
will act as clerks, inspectors, sher-
ifs, etc, at the several polls on
the primary day and with the crit
ical situation confronting politicians,
party leaders have been sent scurry-
ing in a final effort 10 round up
enough interested voters 10 serve on
the appointed day.
Many Decline.
Party leaders report that prac-
tically all those qualified TO serve
on the boards have declined with
the plea that they can't afford il,
which on the face Of present wage
and living conditions is entirely JUS
tifiable. say politicians. According
10 one prominent political light, but
Is or II inspectors have been Sc
cured TO serve on May 4 while los
are required to man the polls as
provided by law. Pursuant 20 this
lamentable condition, Stuart Mac
Kibbin, county attorney, has issued
the following statement wherein he
sets forth the situation as it appears
at the present time:
The primary statute provides for
the creation of a county board of
primary election commissioners.
These have been appointed.
But the statute provides that in
each precinct there shall be an cleo
ton board consisting of one in
spector, two judges, two clerks. two
sheriffs and a poll book holder rep
resenting each political party par
ticipating i'm such primary.
1t will ne noted that the statute
only provides for the naming of the
election officials and this naming
must be made by the chairman of
each political party in writing and
delivered 10 the election commits
sioners at least FIVE days before the
day of holding the primaries. Any
vacancies shall be filled by the
chairman of the political party
originally nominating such an Of
ficer.
Election laws also provide that
each party shall nominate a poll
book holder in each precinct for
service on election day and the pri-
mary law provides that the pro-
visions Of the general election law
as regards the appointment of cleo
ton sheriffS and poll book holders
shall apply TO primary elections.
According 10 the Interpretation of
ha law fc ha ltrftr Of Tho cHnt-fff
to provide two election sheriffs. one
from each political party 10 serve
at the primary election.
While the primary law does not
so provide it is the expressed opin-
ion of leading legal minds that if
the political party entitled thereto
docs not nominate inspectors, judges
and clerks to the county election
commissioners five days before the
primary election then the elect ~
commissioners have the richt 20
make appointments and II is heir
duty to appoint persons 10 serve in
such positions.
Duty of Commissioners.
The impression has gone broad
ca st that Il is the duty Of the county
commissioners TO appoint iEspeCt tors
and other primary election officers.
Such is not the fact. The commits
siCners have nothing whatsoever 20
do with the primary election except
TO find polling places and if the
political parties Of st. Joseph cOun-
" do not nominate officers and the
board of election commissioners can
not find persons who will serve and
whom they can appoint as primary
election officers in the various pre-
cincts of this county, then there will
be no primary election where such
officers are not appointed
The Present Situation.
The general opinion seems TO be
that people are too busy either TO
serve as primary election officers or
even TO go out and find persons who
will serve. | do not think that il
IS the business of the primary cleo
ton commissioners TO use their time
at the expense of the county to can
Vass the various precincts and hunt
up people who are willing to serve
as primary officials before appoint
ing them They have only five DAYS
i'm which 20 do this and il is doubt
full If they could physically ac-
complish the task within the time.
When the election commissioners
have designated persons in each pre-
cinct TO serve as primary election
officers who possess requisite quail
!hcations they have discharged their
full duty on the premises and if
these persons so designated fail or
refuse 10 serve. complex situation
arises that is unanswerable.
This is an opportune time for cit
liens who have been advocating the
direct primary 70 come forward and
serve as primary election officials in
their respective precincts and not
only perform a duty but save the
county from an embarrassing posi-
linn