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ment of government here and not try to
force our policies on the people by way of
our position down here as delegates to the
Constitutional Convention.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any other dele-ate
desire to speak in favor of the amendment?
If not, Delegate Gallagher, will you take
the floor to yield to a question ?
DELEGATE GALLAGHER: Yes.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Willoner.
DELEGATE WILLONER: From your
statement, Delegate Gallagher, you indi-
cated it would be virtually impossible to
have presidential primaries because of the
redistricting problems. Did I understand
that?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Gallagher.
DELEGATE GALLAGHER: In the years
in which the presidential election occurred
when redistricting must take place, the first
occasion being 1990, it would be very diffi-
cult to get the redistricting done in time
to have an effective primary because you
have to know what the districts are going
to be before you can hold the primary-
Assumedly you would want to have the
candidate for Senate and House runnina
at the same time this presidential primary
was going on or at least in which you were
electing1 your delegates to the National
Convention, if that is the way you wanted
to handle it.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Willoner.
DELEGATE WILLONER: Would 1990
be the first time this could occur?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Gallagher.
DELEGATE GALLAGHER: That is cor-
rect.
THE CHAIRMAN: Very Well. Delegate
Marion.
DELEGATE MARION: Could I ask Dele-
gate Gallagher another question ?
THE CHAIRMAN: Will Delegate Gal-
lagher yield to another question?
DELEGATE GALLAGHER: Yes, sir.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Marion.
DELEGATE MARION: I do not follow
this because we do not elect a president in
1990, do we? We elect a president in 1988
and 1992.
DELEGATE GALLAGHER: 'GS, '72, '76,
'80. It would be 1980 and 2000.
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THE CHAIRMAN: A further question,
Delegate Marion?
DELEGATE MARION: In those years
we are not electing a General Assembly
though.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Gallagher.
DELEGATE GALLAGHER: In those
years it would be 1972 and 1980, I think,
as required under the constitutional pro-
vision. We would be redistricting in those
years.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Weidemey-
er.
DELEGATE WEIDEMEYER: Mr.
President and mambers of the Committee,
I do want to say this. Delegate Schneider
seemed to indicate that this amendment
did not do what I wanted it to do. I do
submit that the wording of this amend-
ment, if Delegate Schneider will read it
again, clearly provides for the holding of
a national party convention and providing
sufficient time for the holding of state party
conventions. It is to have it so that the
state conventions, primary elections, can be
held prior to a state convention and that
state convention can be held subsequent to
the primary prior to the national.
I think it is very clear. I think it is
unfortunate as Delegate Gallagher pointed
out, very unfortunate for the people in
both parties, if we have to wait until 1980
or 1990 because of some possible conflict
way off that we be deprived all that time of
expressing our views for president. I think
delegates from Maryland should express
the will of the people. In addition to that,
if candidates for United States Senator and
Congress are nominated in an early pri-
mary in presidential years, those candi-
dates will have an opportunity to go then
to the state convention as nominated candi-
dates and get the feel of their party pulse.
They will have an opportunity to go to the
national convention and there get the feel
of their party movement.
I think it is a healthy political thing for
both parties to conduct our primary elec-
tion at an early time in presidental years
and keep it on a sound democratic basis.
THE CPIAIRMAN: Are you ready for
the question?
The question arises on the adoption of
Amendment No. 22. The Clerk will ring the
quorum bell.
The question arises on the adoption of
Amendment No. 22. A vote Aye is a vote
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