Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1871-03-01
Minority Representation.

4 80
Minority Representation.
The subject OF "minority representa-
ton" has been brought before our legis
ture in the form of a proposed amendment
to The State Constitution, introduced by
Hon. d. w. Mtxon, providing for it,
Doubtless all Of our readers are familiar
with what is meant when minority rep
resenlation' is spoken-cf, rs it has been
| frequently explained in our columns.
Lest some Of them NAV not have charged
their minds with il, we will once more
| explain whit the term "minori,y repre-
seatation" means The idea is TO have
the views Of the minority of 8 conslitu-
ency as well as those of the majority,
represented in our legislative bodies. To
accomplish this, various plans have been
| proposed, the most notable of which 10
the one recently incorporated in the con
stitutlon of the state of Illinois. The
plan is varously denominatel ''free vot-
ing" cumulative voting" &c. To IT,
Iustraie its theory and practical operations
We will suppose the plan TO be applied to
our county. We have in the county
very nearly 5000 voters, two thirds,
1000, of which are republicans and one
third, 1000, are democrats. The large
republican majority always enables that
party to send its own nominees to the
assemb y, while the minority of demo-
Gratis, are for all political purposes, prac
tically DISTINGUISHED. 1t is true very few
strictly political questions come before
our Legislature, but the theory remains
the same. Now if the plan we have
been speaking of, were applied to our
county, it would operate as follows: The
county would be entitled TO three repre-
sentatives in the assembly. They wouEl
all have TO be elected on one ticket, aud
If the republicans and democrats should
each eudeavor to al-,sf their three ran1 4
dates the republicans would give their
nominees each 1000 votes and the dem
ocrats would give their 1000 votes. and
the county would thus send three repub.
leans to the assembly. But as the dem
ocrats would know that they could not
elect three candidates they would concen
trate all their vote on one man, each
elector giving him three votes or 5000
all together, which must elect him, be-
cause The republicans would only give
their candidates, if they voted for three.
1000 votes each and of course the dem
ocratic candidate having 5000 votes
would be the highest. If the republicans
should only try TO elect two men, they
would give ] votes 10 each candidate
thus giving them 6, 900 votes each. The
rule might be applied to any other rep
reseutative district and It's practical work
ings would be discovered. In most all
districts, the minority. by concentrating
their votes, could elect the proportion of
candidates their number would enlitie
them to, and thus all the people would
be represented instead of only part rs
is now the case, on the assumption that
the man elected does not represent the
views of those voting for the other cand
date. which is not always the case. The
idea is progressive and q good one, but
we are not at oil certain as To what its
practical operations will be. 1t is cum
bersome one, which the great mass of
electors will be slow to comprehend when
they are called upcn to vote.
If we were TO propose plan we hould
recommend that one which has always
prevailed in the state of New York. in
the choice of inspectors of election. That
plan is briefly this: Three inspectors of
elections are TO be chosen, but no man
can have more than two names for that
office on his ticket. Each party then
dominates and votes for two candidates
the party in the majority chooses its two
candidates, while the board must declare
three men elected, and of course the
candidate Of the minority party having
the highest number of votes is declared
the third man elected. In this way the
minority is always represented by one
man on the board, aud the party in the
the majority has its two members The
plan is very simple one, easily under
stood, and effectually secures to the min
ority representation. We think it wou
be found much more practical in its op
erations than the plan adopted in Illinois,
which is, we believe, substantially. the
plan proposed in our State legislature
Portage Register.