Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 288, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1916 — MOVEMENT TO POSTPONE PRIMARY DATE [ARTICLE]

MOVEMENT TO POSTPONE PRIMARY DATE

Sentiment Throughout State Is For the Changing of Primaries From March to September. Sentiment to secure a postponement in the date of holding city primaries from March until the early part of September seems to be growing all over the state, wherever the matter has been brought to the attention of persons interested in the city elections to be held next year. There is a strong possibility that one of the first acts of the Indiana General Assembly will be to pass an amendment to the present primary and election law postponing the date of holding the primary election from the first Tuesday in March to the first Tuesday in September, thus confining the campaign to three months instead of seven, which is the case under the present law, says the Gary Tribune. ' Steps have already been taken to present such a bill at the beginning of the session and a strong effort will be made, it is sAid, to push it through to passage at the' earliest possible moment in order to forestall the political activity which wdll begin soon after the first of the year as a result of the primaries being held in March. Interviews with politicians and prospective 1 candidates shows that there is a universal approval of the plan to amend the primary law so that the election will be held in September in place of March. It is stated that plans are already well matured to make the plea of the business effective when the legislature meets iri January and it is believed that Inhere will be very little opposition to the proposed amendment. In that event there will be very little fire under the political pot until well along in the summer. With the primary election postponed until September there will be more time to size up the fitness of .prospective and would-be candidates, with the result that better tickets will be named by each of the political parties. In that event, sixty days will be long enough for a campaign.