Evening star., 1942-09-08
Primary Brings Out
Few Early Ballots
In Maryland
Gov. O'Conor Receives
Absentee BoIIots From
Men in Service

wv ~ @0Hot NGNGiNES
Absentee Ballots From
Men in Service
Forecasts of light vote in today's
Democratic and Republican pri-
maries in Maryland are being full
filled, watchers at polling places in
Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties reported.
Voting is expected to be light
throughout the State because little
spirit has been shown in the primary
contests. The polls close at I pm.
Maryland men in the armed
forces will cast absentee ballots for
the first time in this war and some
OF the more closely contested races
may be decided by these votes.
Gov. O'Conor's Office announced
receipt of number of absentee bal
lots cast by service men who are now
in 35 States.
The Governors announcement
said several ballots also have been
received from Navy men at sea, No
postmark revealed their location or
destination.
Will Be Opened Thursday.
The absentee votes will not be
opened until Thursday when the
Boards of Supervisors of Elections
start the official canvass of votes.
Returns from ballots cast in per-
son probably will be known in Mont
gomery County and Baltimore much
earlier than in other communities,
because the voting machines auto
matically tabulate totals for each
candidate. In these two areas, re-
suits of the primary are expected to
be made known in an hour after the
polls close.
In both Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties, Democrats were
reported outnumbering Republicans
more than to l in this mornings
balloting. Polling booths in nearby
Prince Georges County reported un-
usually slack voting.
Activity appeared to be brisk for
while in Silver Spring but other
sections of Montgomery County re-
hected a small turn out.
AT Bethesda first precinct, II
persons had voted in four hours: at
the Chevy Chase fifth precinct, "a
had voted; Bethesda ninth precinct.
rs; and Bethesda eleventh precinct,
80, during the first four hours.
Last Minute Appeals.
The gubernatorial candidates
from both parties, who have been
regarded as favorites in election
betting, made last-minute radio
pleas for a larger turn out of
voters. Gov OConor, the Demo-
cratic incumbent, and Theodore r.
McKeldin, Republican. spoke over
a Baltimore radio station.
Mr.. McKeldin coupled his talk
with broadside against 1t. Col
E. Brooke Lee of Silver Spring, un-
opposed for the Democratic nomi-
nation for the House from the
Sixth Congressional District.
Mr.. McKeldin said county and
city people had been given "the pic
ture of Governor a little too
smooth. bit too clever and SAVIOR
Ing too obviously of the odor of
machine politics"
He charged Gov. O'Conor with
using Minute Men posters ito ex-
plot his own campaign" and said
he had found widespread Demo-
cratic discomfort with the Cover
nor's term in Office
Refers to County Bosses"
Gov. O'Conor he added de-
nounced the regular elements in
his own party but at the same time
keeps always at his elbow ma
chine leader, William Curran in
Baltimore. The Governor
allies himself with notorious county
bosses such as E. Brooke Lee OF
Montgomery County, whom he de-
nounced in 1885,"
In his radio address Gov. OConor
said the "lessening of interest" in
the primary voting was "unfortu-
nate, indeed" He said it was the
imperative duty of every Mary
lander to take an interest in the
selection of the officials whose nom
nations are to be decided in the
primary election.
Il therefore feel it appropriate to
appeal to every registered voter in
cur State to take part in the pri-
maries tomorrow, so that the elec-
ton may reflect the choice of the
majority of our people, rather than
of a scant minority"
Gov. O'Conor is opposed by
Thomas E. Cook, John Kennedy and
Stephen B. Peddicord. Mr.. Nc
Keldin is running against w. Pink
ney West, jr.
Sasscer Expected to Win.
In the only important contest in
Prince Georges County, Representa-
tive Sasscer is expected to be an easy
victor over his two Democratic op-
ponents for nomination from the 5th
Maryland congressional district.
They are Edward j. (Ned) Waters
of Berwyn and DR.. John William
Klemm of Mount Rainier.
Two more primary fights in Prince
Georges County are the race by sew
en- Democratic candidates for the six
seats in the House of Delegates and
a similar contest for the six vacan-
cies on the Democratic State Cen
tral Committee.
The six candidates indorsed by
the State Central Committee for the
House of Delegates are John S.
White, incumbent, Colmar Manor
Perry O. Wilkinson, Hyattsville; DR..
N. B. Steward, Laurel; Leroy Pun
phrey, Meadows; Noah Joffe, Bowie,
and Samuel H. Harvey, Berwyn.
Ewell H. Mohler of Tuxedo, a
former justice of the peace, is the
seventh candidate for the Legisla-
ture.