The Gazette
January 13, 1904

For the benefit of those who many not be altogether familiar with the rules governing the state and district primaries to be held on Tuesday, January 19th, and that no mistakes may be made, we will endeavor to so state the case that all may understand it.

There will be separate boxes for the state primary and the district primary, both in charge of the same commissioners. The state ticket will have have the names of all candidates for state officers printed on one ticket in alphabetical order. The rule adopted by the state central committee governing the voting reads as follows:

“The voter shall designate his choice by stamping or marking a cross in ink or with a lead pencil to the right of or beside the name of the candidate he desired to support for the particular office for which they have offered.”

This is sufficiently plain for any man intelligent enough to claim the right of the name of the candidate for whom you wish to cast your ballot, and let the other names severely alone. You only have to deal with the name of the candidate of your choice.

Now, in the case of the district primary for the purpose of nominating two candidates for the state senate from this district, the manner of voting is different. In fixing your ticket for state senator, you must erase or draw a mark through the names of the candidates for whom you do not want to vote. Leave the names of the candidates of your choice undisturbed.

Be sure you are right, then cast your vote. Don’t get the two ways of preparing your ballot mixed up and thus have it thrown out.

We heartily echo the sentiment expressed in the following from the Homer Guardian-Journal and apply it to our own primary:

“As to what candidates the voters should support, we have no advice to offer further than this. The primary was adopted to the end that the voters might directly select the candidates of their choice. This being the case, why should we, or anyone else, seek to dictate to the voters as to whether they shall support this or that candidate. It was expected that the primary would result in a campaign of education, and it has done so. The voters have been studying the various candidates, their fitness for the offices to which they aspire and the principles which they represent, and they should now vote for the candidates which they believe will best serve the public. This is all they can be asked to do, and all fair minded and reasonable men should and will respect the will of the majority when it has been expressed at the ballot box.”