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The Simons Bill

The Simons Bill image
Parent Issue
Day
6
Month
March
Year
1903
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

THE SIMONS BILL

A primary election bill for Wayne county has passed the legislature and waits only the signature of the governor to make it law. It provides for the direct nomination of candidates for county and city offices. No petition is required, but all candidates must file notice of their candidacy with the county clerk, if candidates for county office, and with the city clerk if candidates for city office, and also deposit one-half of one per cent of the salary of the office for which they are candidates, the same to pay for having their names printed on ballots under their respective party heads. The measure requires the voting to be done on registration days. This is a proviso intended to bring out a full registration and secure a full expression of the wishes of the people as to candidates. The person receiving the highest number of votes for any office is the nominee for that office. A voter can vote for candidates in only one party column and if he places his cross before the names of candidates in more than one column, he thus invalidates his vote and it is thrown out.

The measure is a very good one and embodies the most of the provisions of the best primary election laws now in force in different parts of the country. The only trouble with the measure is that it is for Wayne county only, whereas what the people demand is a general primary election law, including practically the same provisions but applying to the whole state. However, it will be a gain to secure even a local law with the provisions of this bill because it will only be a question of time when its provisions will be applied to the whole state. When such a law is enacted applying to the entire state, it will mark as great a step in the line of progress as did the Australian ballot law.