Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-06-06
SHOWS FLAWS
IN ELECTION
LAWS OF N. D.
Statutes 50 Overlap That
Legal Election is Impos-
s}ble, Duffy Says.

Bismarck, N. d.. June s.-North
Dakota could not hold an election at
any time IL all the laws OF the state
defining election affairs were to be
complied with, according to Maurice
W.. Duffy. daputy secretary of state
and incidentally, the Official informa-
ton bureau for the state capitol So
many duties arc imposed upon differ
ent people and 80 many dates over
lap that it is impossible for all Of
fcials to, obey The Law, he says
Taking just One item, it being the
one under discussion when he started
observations concerning the election
laws on the state Mr.. Duffy pointed
to the laws covering the issuance of
the publicity phamphlet. He had just
been called on the phone with the
information hat the mailing list for
some one of the counties was not
available.
To make UP this mailing list, tho
laws demand that the assessors shall
turn their report of the canva Civ
ing the names of voters into the Of
flee Of the county auditor thirty days
in advance of the primary. The law
also demands that the county auditor
shall certify these names to the sec
rotary of state thirty days before the
primary. Because of the frequent
changes in North Dakota the List
year, especially in party a%ffiliation,
and also changes in residence, the
personal tax lists are h only lists
that can give a complete list of voters
and their addresses.
Ten days after the tax list is turn
ed into the county auditor, the score.
law to have these publicity phamp'
lets in the mail.
Some Speed Needed!
The. facts are that this year, ir
some of the counties, the assessors
failed to finish their work by the frS'
! Of the month but if it were possible te
obey the law, the county auditors and
the secretary Of state ara under di'
rection to prepare the lists of thf
$4,000 voters, more or less, in tn
state, address the number and gel
them into the mails all in ten days.
A good girl will address about
1000 phamphlets a day. Therefore
there are about 250 days work in ad'
dressing alone and in few towns il
North Dakota can an efficient CORP
of workers be gathered together fol
a few days work. This one fac
alone shows how almost impossible j
is to remain within the confines q
the law, in the opinion Of Mr.. DUFFY
Most of the county auditors hav.
elected to send in a list made up from
the last years poll books, ana thus
comply with a part of the law but no
presenting the addresses of the new
voters, or Of the many postofic<
changes that occur in the course of {
year
Other Sections Of the election law,
are as Impossible of operation as thu
one that gives the county auditors
few hours at the best to prepare &C
curate lists of the voters of the statl
and the small amount of time allowed
for the mailing of the publicit!
phamplet.
Several of these %impossibilitie'
have been called to the attention o
different legislatures, according q
Mr.. Duffy, but thus far relief has no
been afforded the different officials
If some M should insist, re~iterate
Mr.. Duffy. upon IN absolute compli
ance with all the election laws o
the state. no election could be held ii
the commonwealth Q t North Dakota