Evening star., 1948-02-24
Virginia Senate
Debates Local
Elections Issue
Showdown Near
On Question of
Nonpurtison Vote
Rv Afav p D.oexo~
By Alex z. Preston
Stur Stoff correspondent :

AuoIlu CIty CIldEtSr DILL, WILL nave
special significance for those groups
in Arlington County who currently
are seeking local legislation for non.
partisan elections of the county ane
school boards.
Senator Charles r. Fenwick oil
Arlington Is scheduled to take the
floor this afternoon to support ar
amendment to the Richmond char.
ter which would restore provision
for party primaries in the event
party members approve in a refer
endum next year.
The amendment was introduced
yesterday by Senator Andrew w
Clarke of Alexandria and Fairfax
and Prince William Counties. II
would strike from the bill language
which prohibits the holding of q
primary to nominate candidates fol
the proposed city council under a
new. form of government here. Sim
liar attempts at amendment were
made, without success, before Senate
and House committees and on the
floor of the House before the lower
body sent the measure to the
Senate.
Amendment Outlined.
Senator Clarke's amendment, how
ever, would not require the holding
of a primary prior to the next
Council election in June, 1850
Under his plan a referendum could
but does not have to be called by
either major party in connection
with next years primary for other
officers.
Senator Clarke, in a 40-minute ad-
dress, said the plan would give those
who seek non-partisan elections
what they want this year because
there is not SUFFICIENT time remain
ing to call a primary before the first
election scheduled for June. -. ..
Senator Fenwick followed Senator
Clarke to speak in favor of the
amendment, but the Senate decided
to adjourn and continue debate
today.
Senator Clarke said he would be
unable to vote for. the charter unless
the unconstitutional" prohibition of
primaries is stricken from the bill.
He said this feature of the Richmond
Charter had obtained Statewide
publicity.
kf County Asks Election. qs5s
"Since its passage by the House" "
he Said 6'tofae OF my counties has
asSeknhe t0 introduce bill for nom
paftisen aelection there" . i
Senator Clarke did not identify
the county BY name but Delegate
Ribert J. McCandlish, jr., Of Fair
fax said previously some of his con-
stituents had urged him to introduce
legislation for non-partisan local
elections, similar to that being sought
by some Arlington groups.
At another point in his talk Sen
ator Clarke warned that the issue
can not be regarded as one local
in nature and said reactionary and
Communistic elements are behind
the movement in lone northern
Virginia area" he added, II wish
you gentlemen could see what has
happened in one of the counties
there"
The prohibition of primaries ais
absolutely contrary to general law
of the Commonwealth, under which
a qualified voter may become cam
didate for any office, either indie
pendently or by party nomination, +"
he charged.
"It is very significant to note that
So out of the 81 members of the
House of Delegates who voted for
this bill have taken the unprece-
dented step of formally registering
their doubts as to its legality" he
said.
Statement is Cited.
He referred to the statement of
reservation inserted in the House
journal by Delegate Armistead L.
Boothe of Alexandria, and sub
scribed to by 81 other members,
when the charter passed the lower
body.
IF this provision were to be held
unconstitutional" Senator Clarke
continued, Richmond would find
itself with an Illegally elected
Council and the resulting chaos
would certainly be far more damag-
ing to the city and to the Common
wealth than any satisfaction which
the charter proponents may obtain
by retaining this primary prohibi-
ton in the bill"
The Alexandria Senator said al
similar prohibition in the charter
for Norfolk never has been tested
in the courts and he was informed
that charter was not debated in the
General Assembly.
Nov that the matter has come
definitely to the attention Of the
General Assembly," said Senator
Clarke, 1--WE certainly should not
any error. of the past"
Oppression Feared.
"It appears to me-" he asserted,
that this primary prohibition would
oe extremely unfair and oppressive,
and that 1t would open the door to
Ill sorts of abuses. It would in
practice operate only against the
Democratic Party. I think all of us
believe in protection for the minority
,arty but it certainly is not nee
,ssary to go to the other extreme
md do violence to the rights Of the
ma ajority party. If this bill passes
With this primary prohibition left
n it, the Republican Party in Rich
nond will be free to continue its
established practice of naming cam
lidates by convention or mass meet
ng or by Republican committee
lction and they can get their names
N the ballot merely by announcing |
heir candidacy and by filing the
'equired petition"
He said minority groups, which |
10 not require primaries for the
;hoice of candidates. could nominate
but the Democratic Party
would be denied its most democratic
method of selecting candidates.
Another section of the bill, de-
cribed as "the little Hatch Act"
las been removed by q Senate COM
nittee. It would have prohibited
of, or contributions by,