Cynics
like to speak of "dirty politics" and "the smoke-filled room" atmosphere of party
big shots making decisions on candidates clandestinely. That pretty well sums
up the way political candidates were determined in East Texas and elsewhere in
the state prior to 1905, when Alexander Watkins Terrell succeeded in getting the
Terrell Election Law through the Texas legislature.
Previously, candidates
in the Democratic and Republican parties were selected at county and state conventions.
This system favored the few who could afford the leisure of a day-or several days-off
from work to participate in the conventions themselves. The vast majority of voters
then could endorse the work of the conventions at the polls or "go fishing."
Then a political movement known as Progressivism impacted both parties near the
end of the nineteenth century and spilled over into the next century. Progressivism
had positive and negative aspects, but its overall principles intended to improve
society and empower ordinary folks. And one of those principles called for the
participation of as many citizens as possible in the political process.
The
Terrell Election Law attempted to take the selection of candidates away from "bosses"
and empower ordinary citizens to run if they chose to do so. The technique was
a party primary election, whether in the county, such as for sheriff, or statewide,
such as governor. Anyone who wished to participate, (girls need not apply since
the Nineteenth Amendment had not been adopted in 1905), could do so by registering
with his party and paying a filing fee. This produced a good many plurality winners,
since the number of candidates in each race was limited only by the number who
registered and paid fees, sometimes just for the thrill of seeing their name on
a ballot.
So in 1918 the legislature provided for a second primary that
would insure that the ultimate winner would have a majority of votes cast, at
least a majority of those cast in the runoff election. No matter how many candidates
sought a particular office in the first primary, only the two candidates with
the most votes participated in the second primary. While the primary system does
provide those with an interest in elected politics the opportunity to participate,
it does not insure victory for more qualified and competent office holders than
did the old "smoke-filled" room method. |
