South Dakota Coffey Primary Election Law (1914)
| South Dakota Coffey Primary Election Law Measure | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic Primary election systems |
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| Status |
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| Type Initiated state statute |
Origin |
South Dakota Coffey Primary Election Law Measure was on the ballot as an initiated state statute in South Dakota on November 3, 1914. It was defeated.
A "yes" vote supported repealing and replacing the Richard's Primary Law, which was an initiative approved by voters in 1912. |
A "no" vote opposed repealing and replacing the Richard's Primary Law, which was an initiative approved by voters in 1912. |
Election results
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South Dakota Coffey Primary Election Law Measure |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 37,106 | 45.37% | ||
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44,679 | 54.63% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for Coffey Primary Election Law Measure was as follows:
| “ | Relating to primary elections | ” |
Background
This measure was a direct challenge to the 1912 Richards Law. The Richards Primary Law was named after its primary creator and sponsor, R. O. Richards of Huron, South Dakota. Richards was a candidate for United States Senate and served as the Republican state chairman. The work to replace the caucus system with a direct primary began strongly in 1903. In 1904, a petition to place the matter on the ballot as an initiated state statute was submitted with almost twice the number of required signatures, but was denied placement on the ballot by the legislature. Instead, the legislature passed the Honest Caucus Law, which retained the convention system with some new restrictions. This legislative move is credited as part of the reason for the election of Governor Coe Isaac Crawford (R) and a "progressive" legislature in 1906. This legislature passed a further revision of the convention system, which remained in place until 1912. In 1911, another initiated state statute was submitted on the same matter, and this time the legislature did not hinder its appearance on the ballot. That measure was approved by voters, but did not mark the end of the struggle for a direct primary in South Dakota.[1]
The 1912 version of Richards Law created an extremely complex system for primary elections and was criticized for its expense and complications. Before the law even took effect, the legislature approved another initiated state statute for the 1914 ballot called the Coffey Law. It would have repealed the Richard's Law and replaced it with a more conventional primary system. This measure, however, was not approved by the voters. The 1912 law was allowed to go into effect.[1]
While these two votes on the matter of direct primaries seemed to confirm the electorate's desire for direct primaries, the legislature enacted the Norbeck Law in 1915, which repealed the Richards law and substituted a more conventional primary system. The legislature enacted the measure with an emergency clause, making it impossible for a veto referendum to be called on the matter. The issue of legislative alteration by repealing initiated laws was challenged in the South Dakota Supreme Court, but the court upheld the constitutionality of such acts.[1]
The legislative alteration led Richards to revise his law again. He secured its placement on the 1916 ballot, where it was narrowly defeated by 323 votes. However, Richards continued his attempts and secured the measure's placement on the 1918 ballot, where it was approved. This removed the Norbeck Law of 1915 and gave the state a direct primary system with strong public support.[1]
Path to the ballot
An initiated state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends state statute. There are 21 states that allow citizens to initiate state statutes, including 14 that provide for direct initiatives and nine (9) that provide for indirect initiatives (two provide for both). An indirect initiated state statute goes to the legislature after a successful signature drive. The legislatures in these states have the option of approving the initiative itself, rather than the initiative appearing on the ballot.
In South Dakota, the number of signatures required for an initiated state statute is equal to 5% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.
See also
External links
Footnotes
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