for members of the legislature.[1] A number of states have abolished party designations for the candidates for certain offices. About one-fourth of the states require candidates for judicial offices to be elected on a non-partisan ballot.[2] The non-partisan movement has taken a firm hold on cities with a commission form of government where the tendency is to prohibit party nominations.[3] The non-partisan movement is also making headway in other local offices, as school officers.[4]
All but six states permit an elector to write in the name of any candidate not appearing on the ballot as a candidate.[5] Thirteen states permit such name to be written in a blank column placed at the right of the ballot in which only the titles of the offices are printed.[6] The larger number of states, twenty-six in number, provide blank spaces under the name of each candidate or group of candidates.[7]
Constitutional amendments, which are submitted to the electorate at the same election at which officers are chosen, are either printed on the same ballot with the list of candidates or on a separate ballot. The first method is used in twenty-seven states, and the latter in fifteen.[8] Where the amendments are printed on the same ballot with the list of candidates, the common rule is to print them at the foot of the ballot after the list of candidates. Words to aid the voter in expressing his choice, as “for the amendment,” “against the amendment,” “yes,”
- ↑ Minnesota Laws, 1913, ch. 389. California will soon vote on a legislative proposal to abolish all party designations for state and local offices.
- ↑ Iowa, 1913, ch. 104; Washington (for Superior Court), 1907, ch. 209; Kansas, 1913, ch. 193; Arizona, Nebraska, South Dakota, Illinois for cities of 200,000 or more, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wyoming.
- ↑ See Kentucky, 1910, ch. 50; Illinois, 1911–12, p. 22; Nebraska, 1911, ch. 24; Kansas, 1907, ch. 114.
- ↑ South Dakota, 1907, ch. 86; North Dakota, 1913, ch. 152; Wisconsin, 1913, ch. 492.
- ↑ See chapter v.
- ↑ New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Illinois, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina (New Hanover County), Texas, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.
- ↑ No provision for either blank spaces or blank column in Indiana, Delaware, Oklahoma, Virginia, South Dakota, and New Mexico. Nevada provides blank spaces after each office group for substituting names to fill vacancies. In West Virginia it was not possible to tell whether blank spaces or a blank column is provided, either from the statute or sample ballots.
- ↑ In Delaware constitutional amendments are not submitted to popular vote; and in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia there are no provisions in the election laws for their submission.
