Evening star., 1948-05-03
Light Voting Reflects
Apathy in Maryland
Primary Election
bv John v. Horner

By John v. Horner
Voting apathy was evident to.
day as Maryland Democrats ant
Republicans began selectin,
their House nominees in biennia
party primaries.
Reports from scattered precinct
in Montgomery and Prince George
Counties reflected the general dis
interest among residents of nearb.
election districts.
The voters also were selectin,
candidates for State conventions
During the day, at separate polling
places, local officials will be cfloser
in o towns in Prince Georges ane
10 in Montgomery.
The 5th and 9Th district primary
campaigns were based largely OF
personalities, with practically M
issues to attract voters. Further.
more, Maryland is having no presl.
Dental preferential voting and som.
who would have voted for that rea.
son will not exercise the franchise
today.
Another deterring factor is un.
favorable weather, intermittent
showers and cloudiness.
Voting hours and the change-ovel
to daylight saving time also caused
some confusion. This being the
first working day for Washington
area residents on daylight time
many of those who intend to vote
planned to do so after business
hours.
The official advertisements for
Prince Georges voting, mistakenly
fixed the hours from 7 am. to pm
Eastern standard time, when they
should have read prevailing loca
time. County election officials there.
fore expect the days heaviest ballot.
ing to come about 4:30 or 5 pm.
In the early balloting, the Takoma
Park town election stole the show
from House primaries. as precinct
workers of the rival states corraIed
hundreds of residents and trans
ported them to the firehouse poll
ing place. All town voting Is done
at the flrehouse. but only a small
number of the Takoma Park resi-
dents also vote there for the House
candidates. AS a result the primary
totals at Takoma Park were just
a fraction Of the local total.
The major House candidates
worked steadily to stimulate the
electorate. Their headquarters sent
out appeals by telephone and fur
nished automobile service to and
from the polls. The candidates
themselves toured the precincts in
the interest of their nominations.
Prince Georges County, a part OF
the 5th congressional district, was
expected to outvote Montgomery
in the 6th-because of party organ
ization activity on both the Demo-
cratic and Republican sides. The
Democratic leadership Is deter
mined to get out sufficient vote ts
assure Representative Sasscer's re-
nomination by sizahle margin over
George Sachse, Glen Burnie lawyer
and tobacco grower.
Three e-way Contest in 5th.
The Republican organization in
the 5th is busy on behalf of C.
Maurice Weidemeyer, Anne Arundel
attorney, in a three-way contest
with Edwin A. Glenn and Frank E.
Vanderhoof OF Suitland.
Since Representative Beall is un-
opposed for the Republican NOM
nation, his party has no 9Th Dis
trict primary, and the Democratic
organization in Montgomery adopted
a hands-off policy in the four
cornered House contest. The can
didates are F. Byrne Austin, Ia
koma Park; Will Allen, Bethesda;
Thomas O'Connel, Forest Glen
and Dawson j. Horine, Myersville,
Frederick County.
The municipal elections were ex-
pected to help swell the vote in
some communities. In Prince
Georges, local election contests are
being settled at Capitol Heights,
Seat Pleasant, Riverdale and Cot
tage City, Offices will be filled with
out opposition at Cheverly, Ed
|mondston, North Brentwood and
Fairmont Heights.
Other Towns Electing.
Perhaps the most spirited local
election in Montgomery County is
at Takoma Park, where there are
two states Of candidates for mayor
and seven councilmen. Other COM
munities electing local officials are
Glen Echo, Rockville, Garrett Park,
Gaithersburg, Laytonsville and
Somerset, all with contests, and
Barnesville, Brookeville and Drum
mond, where officials will be named
by the write-in method.
Prince Georges Republicans will
elect seven State convention dele
gates from II candidates, but the
Democratic slate was chosen with
out opposition before the primary.
Montgomery Republicans will
choose seven State convention dele
gates from group of II candidates,
while the Democrats in that county
will name seven from a list of 13.
Two Have No Contest.
Representative Beall and his Re-
publican colleague, Representative
Miller, of the first district, are the
only members of the Maryland
House delegations who do not face
primary opposition.
The States most heated campaign
is in the 4th District, where Repre-
sentative Fallon, Democrat, with
the backing Of the William Curran
organization and former Mayor
Howard w. Jackson of Baltimore
is challenged by Leo H. Mccormick,
former Maryland director of the
T-EsT. Isl4--1