Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1928-10-12
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
CFrOm National Editorial A5SOcidtiOHl
TspRcIAL To cHRoNIcLR1

SPECIAL TO cHRONIcLE1
Washington, October 10.-It is
surprising but true that the millions
of voters of this country know little
or nothing OF the most important in
dividuals in the Presidential cleo
ton. The average citizen honestly
believes that the candidate receiving
a majority of votes is automatically
elected President. On the contrary,
it is possible that next month Mr..
| Hoover or Mr.. Smith may become
President on a minority of popular
votes. There have been one or two
| instances in American history
where a chief executive has been
elected under these conditions. The
factor which influences a Presiden-
tial election is the electoral college.
In reality it is the membership of
the electoral college that determines
the successful candidate for the
Presidency of the United States.
Only the most astute of political
leaders are cognizant of the need of
keeping tabs on Presidential elect
ors in each state. 1t is noteworthy
that even the. most Jealous cam
paigners, shouting their partisan
ship from the house-tops, fail to
realize that the campaign tumult
may be counted waste of time and
energy. 1t is conceded that in the
event of a close popular vote a di-
vision among the electors in sim
gle state may change the entire pO-
litical picture. The voters are
sometimes responsible for the oc-
casional splitting of the electoral
vote of the state when they vote
against the electors on their party
tickets. The last recorded division
of electoral votes was in 1916 when
West Virginia cast seven Republican
votes and one Democratic vote in
the electoral college. The greatest
breakup in the vote of the electoral |
college was in 1892 when the Popu-
list movement was at it's height, at |
which time the electoral vote of |
California was recorded with eight |
Democrats and one Republican; |
five Democrats and nine
North Dakota one Pop
ulist, one Democrat and one Repub-
lican; Ohio one Democrat and %
and Oregon one Popu-
list and three Republicans.
The Importance of the electoral
vote in each state is given in cur
rent tabulations of straw-votes con-
Quoted by various organizations.
While it is conceded that these test
ballots are of little practical value
hey afford an interesting sidelight
Turing the height of the political
Some of these tabula-
ions show that there is only
,cant margin between the two can
lidates on the basis of popular vote,
3ut the difference in the number of
electoral votes is marked. The prin-
,ipal criticism leveled at straw
)allots is the fact that the average
PARTISAN returning a marked ballot
would probably have considerable
lifficulty in qualifying as a voter.
Cor instance, a number of blank
,allots addressed to one family may
re filled in by adults who for var
Gus reasons would not pass mus
er" as voters in an election, and by
Juveniles interested in voting before
heir time. The conductors of the
contests usually de-
end upon telephone books and var
0us mail order lists in sending out
heir ballots. ~
The World Series baseball contest
ad a tendency to tone down the
olitical campaign for a few days.
t gave the principal campaigners
brief breathing spell prior to the
rand finale. 1t is stated that the
lajor parties will stage an inten-
i've campaign during the last two
-eeks of this month, conducting
light and day sessions in an effort
} win over the electorate. The dis
'ict political leaders have a prob
I'M on their hands in arranging
latters so that potential voters may
leet registration requirements. A
Judy has been made recently by an
rganization interested in getting
ut the vote, showing that many citi-
ems cannot legally register because
ley lack a permanent abode. 1t is
aimed that this condition affects
EN- more than women, but in the
ties there are thousands of women
.eking a living where opportunity
ay offer and without the fixed resi-
ence necessary to vote.
Political scouts report an increase
the number of registrations for
omen voters. The intense feeling
hich has developed in this cam
Iign indicates that undue registra-
IN will be attacked and purged in
2S as seldom before. In case
here partisans are concentrating
a registration drive the opposi-
IN frankly announces its intention
investigate and challenge. Re-
'rts received here show that thous-