The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 49, July 1945 - April, 1946 Page: 531
717 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 24 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
The Citizens White Primary
candidates for office regardless of party or political creed could
participate in the election, the only restriction being against
negroes' seeking nominations or voting in the primary. A pledge
that he would support the nominees of the White Primary was
exacted from each candidate. It is significant that G. W. Brown,
a Republican, served as secretary at the meeting of the execu-
tive committee held on April 29, 1898. A Republican, who for-
merly served as Postmaster at Jefferson under the Republican
administration, was nominated in the White Primary and is at
the present time an officeholder in Marion County. When ne-
groes do vote in the regular state elections in November, there
is on the ballot only one candidate for each elective office in
Marion County, this being the candidate chosen in the White
Primary.
Meetings have continued to be held every two years, at which
a new executive committee is selected to serve the next two
years. At each meeting the old organization is entirely dis-
solved and a new one formed, and the original Resolutions of
1898 together with all amendments thereto are then readopted.
There have been few amendments, and the system is still per-
petuated in 1946 as originally established.
The citizens of Marion County found that the White Primary
operated to their advantage in more than one particular. In
so far as the purchase of the negro votes was concerned, it
eliminated graft and corruption at the polls. At the same time,
a more convenient date for holding the election was established.
The election was usually held in April with the run-off, when
necessary, a few weeks later. The early election was easier on
the candidates for the campaigns were shortened to only six
weeks, a reduction of about three months. The farmers also
benefited, since their busiest farming season, when they were
plowing and planting crops, was no longer interrupted by cam-
paigning candidates. The chief drawback of the system was
that the number of votes cast in the state elections was always
much smaller than that polled in the White Primary. This was
true because the voters were much more interested in who was
going to serve them as sheriff and as county judge for the next
two years than in who was to sit on the Supreme Court of Texas.
The White Citizens Primary has operated quite successfully
in Marion County. Up to the present time, there has never been
a single violation of the pledge required of each candidate. Fur-
thermore, the candidate selected in the White Primary has never
been opposed in the following general election.531
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 49, July 1945 - April, 1946, periodical, 1946; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146056/m1/616/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.