Decline of the Presidential Primary

Report Outline
Decline of the Presidential Primary
Development of the Presidential Primary
Operation of Presidential Primary Laws
Influence of Primaries on National Conventions
Proposals for National Presidential Primaries
The Presidential Primaries in 1932
Special Focus

Decline of the Presidential Primary

National interest in the approaching presidential campaign will be intensified during March by the holding of three state primaries. A contest between delegates to the Democratic national convention pledged to the candidacy of Franklin D, Roosevelt and delegates favoring the nomination of Alfred E. Smith is to be decided in New Hampshire on March 8, On the same day the Republican voters of that state will elect a full slate of pro-Hoover delegates to the Republican national convention, no opponents having entered the field. A week later, March 15, North Dakota voters will elect national convention delegates and indicate their presidential preferences. And on March 23 a Democratic preference primary will be held in Georgia.

Choice on the Democratic preferential ballot in North Dakota will be restricted to Roosevelt and Governor Murray of Oklahoma, Smith's supporters having failed to file his name within the designated time limit. On the Republican side the result of the preferential vote in that state will lack significance, since President Hoover has not entered his name. The only names to appear on the ballot will be those of former Senator France of Maryland and “General” Coxey of Ohio. Roosevelt will be virtually unopposed in Georgia, Murray having failed to file in time and Speaker Garner having disavowed a candidate who sought to run as his proxy.

Beginning with the Wisconsin and New York presidential primaries April 5, there will be one or more such elections almost every week thereafter until May 20, when Oregon voters go to the polls. The 1932 primary season will close June 7 with Florida's Democratic primary. Republican voters in 15 states and Democratic voters in 18 states will participate in this year's presidential primaries.