The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-09-24
MARYLAND LAWS
VEX DEMOCRATS
Complications Expected
if Second Choice Is
Needed in Race

BALTIMORE. Sept. 23-Bocause
OF the complexlty OF the second
choice provisions OF tho primary
election law, which may be invoked
In tho threc-cornered democratic
senatorial fight. election officials
and party workers are having great
difficulty IN understanding what
must be done under the law. Nu-
merous Inquiries have been received
by the state officials.
Tho underlying principle OF the
law Is that choice must be made
/ by n majority instead OF plurality.
That rulo applies equally in deter
mining the choice of political unit
that is. a county or legislative
| Idlstrict-and In determining the
final result OF the choice OF all the
units,
In any given county-say somer-
set following the election, the Of
flcial must determine the first choice
OF n majority OF those who voted in
the democratic primary and then
the second choice, for the guidance
OF the delegates from the county To
the state convention.
II there are 5000 votes cast and
Candidate 4 gets 900, Candidate h
gets 1900 and Candidate G 500,
There is no question that the dCleEa-
tiou from the county Is instructed to
vote Tor Candidate \ as the first
choice. He win have clear ma
jorlty. There will remain the mat
ter of determining the county's sec
oud choice.
That VIII be done In this way:
|r2VllQaFY A Il.
eliminated. Under the law. those
who voted FOR Candidate \ for the
first choice should vote for Candl-
, date B or Candidate c for second
choice.
, suppose that OF the 5000 who vot.
/ ed for Candidate A, 1900 favored
, Candidate ID for second choice and
/ 500 favored Candidate G. In thai
case 1900 votes would he added L,
the first choice votes given bOtf
Candidates II and Q, so that Candi,
date n would have total OF 5000
land Candidate 9 total af 9,0OO
Candidate u, therefore. would hav,
the majority OF second choice votes
That illustrates the procedure i
= ono of the candidates has had a cloal
majority for first choice. II OF 5,O0l
votes cast In the county Candidat,
\ had 400. Candidate h had 0O(
land Candidate c had coo. thcr,
would be no first choice Indicated
only a plurality result TheyeupoI
the low man would he eliminate,
and the second choices OF those VIII,
voted for him distributed,
Assume that of the 500 who vote,
for Candidate g as first choice, IOl
favored Candidate \ as secou,
choice ana zoe favored Candidate II
by adding that 400 to the . 400 giyel
Candidate \ I'm tho first place n
would have a total OF $500 vote
and clear majority OF the 800
cast, and would become the firs
|choico OF the county Candidate 4
with 200 added 20 his original 2,OOC
would have total OF 1900 an
would become the second choice.
By applying these rules, the della
.E1t.on from each county Will ente
the state convention with definite in
|strurtions ms 20 It's first and secou
choices. IL any OF the throe caudi
dates for the nomination for sen
ator had clear majority OF all tn
delegates In the conyention--that "a
G7 or more---0s the first choice, a
would be over, But II no Candldat
had clear majority, then the sec
ond choice would be resorted 90.
That would be done I'm this way
The low man among the candidate
would be eliminated, Suppose n
had on tho first choice the delega
lions from three counties. Each q
those delegations would recall tina
II was instructed under the pro
ccdure outlined above as 10 socon
choice Necessarily the sccon
choice would he one of the two re
naming candidates. Each OF thes
delegations would vote according {
10 Z he second choice instruction
he given Il.
Ye And there being hut two candI
dates. one would have enough froI