The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-02-18
NO PRIMARY
REPEAL AHEAD
Action on This Will Not
Be Possible This Ses-
sion, Declared
The Times-News Bureau
Sir Walter Hotel

RALEIGH, Feb. 18.--The per-
ennial movement to abolish the
primary system and return to the
old convention method of nomina-
ton is definitely over for this SEES
sion, but the legislature will prob
ably have to pass on a compro-
mise measure which would do
away with the second primary and
make the first primary decisive.
The primary repeater bill,
dropped into the hopper by Rep
resentative Tam Bowie and q
other signers. seemed to have
more support this year than in
previous years, but the sentiment
against it was still overwhelming,
and the original repeater met a
quick death in committee room.
There is considerably less opposi-
ton to the compromise measure,
The compromise bill was re-
ported favorably yesterday by the
house committee on election laws,
of which Representative Bowie is
chairman. Besides eliminating the
second primary. the measure
would also do away with the alb
sentee ballot law. While many
members of the legislature are
unalteraby opposed to this latter
figure, the movement for repeal
of the absentee ballot has been
growing. and a half dozen locaI
bills seeking repeal of the law in
individual counties have already
made their appearance this ses.
sion.
The house yesterday also re,
ceived from its committee on cleo
ton laws a favorable report on a
bill sponsored by the State board
of elections which is designed to
cut the cost of primaries and cleo
tons in North Carolina by about
$4,000 a year. This bill COM
pletely rewrites and revises the
states election law, which has not
been redrafted since 1901.
There are no radical changes
proposed by the board of cleo
tions bill. In the main, it brings
the election laws up to date and
does away with several duplica-
tions, inconsistencies and obsolete
parts of the code. It's chief econ
omy results from a provision per-
hitting the board to reduce the
number of ballots that are now
required to be printed.
Under the present law, two bal
lots have to be printed and dis
tributed for every registered
voter. The new bill would require
only about $4,000 extra ballots to
be printed. In presidential cleo
tions, it would simplify the ballot
by using the names of candidates
instead of the names Of presiden-
tial electors. The names of the
electors. however, would be on
file at the secretary of states Of
flee. and theoretically, the votes
would be cast for them.
However, by leaving them off
the ballot, it is believed that mat
tiers will be simplified. This plan
is already in effect in Ohio, and is
said to work much more satisfac-
torily than the old system. No OBJ
lection was voiced to the bill in
committee except that one item,
shortening the hours of voting,
was stricken out, and the hours
were left as they are at present,
from sunrise to sunset.
1t is generally believed that
these two bills, the Bowie bill and
the one sponsored by the cleo
lions board, will save the state al
most as much money as the re-
pealer bill first proposed without
destroying the principle of the
primary. 1t is estimated that the
substitute bill eliminating the sec
ond primary will cut the cost 81
the primaries almost in half.
The suggestion is expected to
be made in the house that some
provision be made for a turnover
when there is a difference of only
a few votes between two candi-
dates, but this, hackers of the bill
contend. would destroy the whole
effect of the proposal. It is point
ed out that a candidate defeated
by only a small margin has the
recourse of a recount if he should
demand it.