The power of the initiative was first exercised by the people of Oregon in 1904, when they proposed and enacted a local option liquor law and a direct primary law.
In 1909 a direct primary elections law was passed which required a majority of all votes to nominate, and, to make a majority possible, provided for preferential (or second-choice) voting, such votes to be canvassed and added to the first-choice vote for each candidate if there be no majority by the first-choice vote.
General elections are held biennially, in evennumbered years, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, and candidates, except those for the supreme court bench and a few local offices, are nominated at a direct primary election, held the second Tuesday in September.
The most important effect of the direct primary law has been the choice of United States senators by what is practically a popular vote.
A fourth unusual feature is that South Carolina has applied the principle of direct primary nominations to all elective officials from governor down.
