The State, at first, had paid little attention to the party, which was regarded as a purely voluntary aggregation of like-minded citizens.Evidently the State could not dictate that you should be a Democrat or a Republican or force you to be an Independent.With the adoption of the Australian ballot, however, came the legal recognition of the party; for as soon as the State recognized the party's designated nominees in the preparation of the official ballot, it recognized the party.It was then discovered that, unless some restrictions were imposed, groups of interested persons in the old parties would manage the nominations of both to their mutual satisfaction.Thus a handful of Democrats would visit Republican caucuses or primaries and a handful of Republicans would return the favor to the Democrats.
In other words, the bosses of both parties would cooperate in order to secure nominations satisfactory to themselves.
Massachusetts began the reform by defining a party as a group of persons who had cast a certain percentage of the votes at the preceding election.This definition has been widely accepted; and the number of votes has been variously fixed at from two to twenty-five per cent.Other States have followed the New York plan of fixing definitely the number of voters necessary to form a party.In New York no fewer than 10,000 voters can secure recognition as a state party, exception being made in favor of municipal or purely local parties.But merely fixing the numerical minimum of the party was not enough.The State took another step forward in depriving the manipulator of his liberty when it undertook to determine who was entitled to membership in the party and privileged to take part in its nominations and other party procedure.Otherwise the virile minority in each party would control both the membership and the nominations.
An Oregon statute declares: "Every political party and every volunteer political organization has the same right to be protected from the interference of persons who are not identified with it, as its known and publicly avowed members, that the government of the State has to protect itself from the interference of persons who are not known and registered as its electors.It is as great a wrong to the people, as well as to members of a political party, for anyone who is not known to be one of its members to vote or take any part at any election, or other proceedings of such political party, as it is for one who is not a qualified and registered elector to vote at any state election or to take part in the business of the State." It is a far reach from the democratic laissez faire of Jackson's day to this state dogmatism which threatens the independent or detached voter with ultimate extinction.
A variety of methods have been adopted for initiating the citizen into party membership.In the Southern States, where the dual party system does not exist, the legislature has left the matter in the hands of the duly appointed party officials.They can, with canonical rigor, determine the party standing of voters at the primaries.But where there is party competition, such a generous endowment of power would be dangerous.
Many States permit the voter to make his declaration of party allegiance when he goes to the primary.He asks for the ticket of the party whose nominees he wishes to help select.He is then handed the party's ballot, which he marks and places in the ballot-box of that party.Now, if he is challenged, he must declare upon oath that he is a member of that party, that he has generally supported its tickets and its principles, and that at the coming election he intends to support at least a majority of its nominees.In this method little freedom is left to the voter who wishes to participate as an independent both in the primaries and in the general election.
The New York plan is more rigorous.Here, in all cities, the voter enrolls his name on his party's lists when he goes to register for the coming election.He receives a ballot upon which are the following words: "I am in general sympathy with the principles of the party which I have designated by my mark hereunder; it is my intention to support generally at the next general election, state and national, the nominees of such party for state and national offices; and I have not enrolled with or participated in any primary election or convention of any other party since the first day of last year." On this enrollment blank he indicates the party of his choice, and the election officials deposit all the ballots, after sealing them in envelopes, in a special box.At a time designated by law, these seals are broken and the party enrollment is compiled from them.These party enrollment books are public records.Everyone who cares may consult the lists.The advantages of secrecy--such as they are--are thus not secured.
It remained for Wisconsin, the experimenting State, to find a way of insuring secrecy.Here, when the voter goes to the primary, he is handed a large ballot, upon which all the party nominations are printed.The different party tickets are separated by perforations, so that the voter simply tears out the party ticket he wishes to vote, marks it, and puts it in the box.The rejected tickets he deposits in a large waste basket provided for the discards.
