St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1962-11-16
Negro Vote Role Increases
In Importance

Any attempt at this time to fully evaluate the
November 6 elections are of course rather prema-
ture. However, salient factor which should be Of
interest to readers the effective use of the
ballot by increasing number of Americans Of
Negro descent in the South well as the North.
Associated Negro Press national election round
ups indicate 81 Negroes, men and women were elect
ed to the state legislatures in 10 of the so states
Even in Georgia Negro was elected to the state
Senate for the first time since the much maligned
and distorted Reconstruction Period. Another Negro
Augustus Hawkins of Los Angeles was added to the
small representation that the group has in the us.
House of Representatives.
In three states American whites, the majority
group joined Negro fellow citizens in electing to
office qualified candidates for statewide office who
happened to be Negroes.
In Michigan this significant new political trend
resulted in the reelection of Judge Otis Smith to the
Michigan State Supreme Court. He had been ap-
pointed to the post by Gov John Swanson to fill
unexpired term and in the November 6, election he
was renamed by the states voters.
In 1858 Smith was the first Negro elected to
statewide office since Reconstruction when he was
elected for two year term as Michigan state audi
tor. His election to the Michigan Supreme Court
his second winning Of statewide office by the bal
lots of Michigan voters.
In Massachusetts, Negroes who voted soIidy
for the Democratic ticket which elected Ted Ken
needy us. Senator, crossed party lines and
elected Negro Republican Edward w. Brooke, the
states encouragement. Brooke was the only Re-
publican candidate to survive the sweep of Mass
achusetts state offices by the Democrats His cleo
ton was evidence far as the Negro voters were
concerned that they were doing some thinking when
they cast their ballots In Massachusetts Negro
Democrats placed the Importance Of having a Ne
They were logical and wise in so doing.
In Connecticut, state voters went to the polls
and named Negro Democrat Gerald Lamb, state
treasurer. The election of Negro to that position
was assured because the Connecticut Republican
party wisely also nominated William D. Graham
a Negro attorney for the state treasurership also.
In the coming increasing effort Of the Demo-
cratic party to hold to the Negro vote In the big
urban cities Of the north and the matching effort
of the Republican to regain such support the nomin-
alton Of Negroes by the political parties to state
wide posts will continue at an accelerated pace.
This new pattern will catch in many states,
as time goes on, and the quest Of support for the
increasingly independent Negro voters continues.
Even in our state Of Minnesota where the Negro
vote while significant, las in the Judd-Fraser race)
but relatively small in number, If the state COP
had nominated Stephen Maxwell, st. Paul Negro
attorney for encouragement as part of the RAM
sey county delegation suggested he would have made
as good a run against Mondale Robert Kunzg,
a practical unknown. The votes Maxwell would have
received might have had an effect on the tight CUB
nertorial race OF course with Mondale's deserving
record on civil and human rights 1t is doubtful that
even a candidate Of Negro descent would have been
able to take too many Negro votes away from him
However it might have been worth the try by the
Republicans If they had sufficient imagination.
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new trend and as he has been since arrival on the
continent as bondsmen the Negro Is playing big
part in the developing political situation. The diff
ference is now that while he (the Negro) still