Abolish Cross-Filing in California records, 1941-1960, bulk Bulk, 1950-1953

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Summary

Creators:
Abolish Cross Filing in California.
Abstract:
This collection contains the records of the group formed by John B. Elliott to abolish the practice of cross-filing in California (Abolish Cross-Filing in California). Cross-filing is a practice that permits candidates for political office to register in multiple parties for primary elections. If a candidate then wins nominations from multiple parties, they run with less (or no) competition in the fall election. The records present in this collection include filing vouchers, correspondence, clippings, subject files, cancelled checks, and financial information. The proposition to abolish cross-filing passed in 1952.
Extent:
8.5 Linear feet 8 boxes
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Box/folder# or item name], Abolish Cross-Filing in California records, Collection no. 225, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains the records of the group formed by John B. Elliott to abolish the practice of cross-filing in California (Abolish Cross-Filing in California). Records include filing vouchers, correspondence, clippings, subject files, cancelled checks, and financial information. Also included are 4 printing blocks, 1 printing plate, and 10 purple paper reverse images of illustrations from the publication "Vote 'Yes' on #13," published by Abolish Cross-Filing in California.

Biographical / historical:

Cross-filing is the practice that allows candidates for political office to register as candidates in multiple parties in primary elections. If a candidate wins nominations from multiple parties, then they run with less (or no) competition in the fall election. Cross-filing was perceived to be an instrument of the corrupt lobbyist and political-boss controlled political system in California. John B. Elliott (1878-1967) spearheaded the movement to put a proposition on the 1952 ballot that would elminate cross-filing. Elliott, a journalist who had served as the Southern California chairman of Woodrow Wilson's and Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first presidential campaigns, was also the president of the Jameson Petroleum Company. His efforts to elimate cross-filing were successful, and the proposition on the 1952 ballot (Proposition #13) passed.

Acquisition information:
The Abolish Cross-Filing in California records were donated to USC by John C. Elliott in 1968.
Arrangement:

The Abolish Cross-Filing in California records consist of subject files arranged by size (either letter or legal) and then in alphabetical order. Boxes 1-6 contain letter-size files; boxes 7 and 8 contain legal ones.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE: Advance notice required for access. Consult finding aid for additional information.

Terms of access:

The collection contains published articles; researchers are reminded of the copyright restrictions imposed by publishers on reusing their articles and parts of books. It is the responsibility of researchers to acquire permission from publishers when reusing such materials. The copyright to unpublished materials belongs to the heirs of the writers. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Preferred citation:

[Box/folder# or item name], Abolish Cross-Filing in California records, Collection no. 225, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Location of this collection:
Special Collections
Doheny Memorial Library, Room 209
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189, US
Contact:
(213) 740-5900
specol@usc.edu
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