Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-01-19
THE ELECTORAL REFORN N.
4 Revolt Against the Tyranny
of the Caucus.
, the Editor Of The Evening Post.

10 the Editor Of The Evening Post.
MrSsEopALIs. Mimi, Dec. Is, 1870.
My DEAR SIR: The election sys-
TEN proposed by me several years
since, to which considerable attention
has recently boen directed in the
State, is as follows:
!. Allow the voter to place upon his
ballot the name OF one person as lis
first choice Tor the office named; and
below the same, the names OF one or
more other persons as substitutes for
the same Office, no preference being
indicated as between these substi-
tutes, each being second choice OF
the voter.
2. IF, or counting the ballots, il
appears that one person is named rs
first choice on majority OF the bal
lots, he is to be declared elected.
3. II no one Is so elected, then the
person whose name is upon the great
est number OF ballots, both or either,
as first choice or substitute, is to be
declared elected.
r.
ing each an equal number of ballots,
under article third, the preference is
to be given to the one who is named
as first choice on the greater lumber
OF ballots.
The design of the above plan IS to
break down the tyranny and corrup-
ton of the caucus system; to make
boiling an impossibiiity; to allow
each voter to express his honest pre-
fcrences and yet not threw away his
vote; to make election returns show
unerringly the real strength before
the people of the various candidates,
AMI to mass the vote OF aparty hold
ing certain princip!es-upon the
strongest m N or m Isl popular one,
a, least, representing such principles;
to preserve individual liberty fully,
and yet yield to the will OF the ma
iority. And the plan proposed will
do this with the utmost certainty and
IN the simplest manner. 10 Illus
trate, let us take.
COMMON CASE.
Congressional district. 16, 1000 votes:
10000 Republican, 5000 Democrat.
Mr. A., Republican. draws $500
votes; Mr.. b., Republican. draws f.
500 votes; Mr.. c., Democrat, dlaws
.G.00O votes and is elected under our
present system OF voting. Under
the proposed plan it would stand
about thus: Mr.. A, (second choice
b. gets $500. Mr.. B. (secoud
choice Az gets 4,5oo; Mr.. G. (no sec
onl choice named) gets 5000 Now,
We count the ballots, and under Ar
ticle no one has majority. BY
Art. 4 we find A. and c. each NAM
ed on 10000 ballots, while c. is on
bat 5000; and by Art. 4 Mr.. a. has
the preference over 3. because nam
ed on the greater number OF ballots
as first choice, and is elected, as he
ought to be, because more nearly rep
rcsenting the personal preferences
and political principles OF the people
than any other oil the candidates
named; and this is a7rays right, when
but one officer is to be elected, as Is
necessary in nearly all executive or
clerical officers With Legislatures
and Boards of Council it is different,
and we mag here group them in dis
tricts clec:ing three members and
adopt
MINORITY REPRESENTATION
in its simplest AMI most efficient
forms by simple adding to the above:
5. When three persons are to be
elected, the voting to be done same
as provided for in Article lst; one
ballot only from each rotsr, and one person
oa7y named on saeA ballot as first choice,
and one or more others named as
substitutes or second choice,
6. In counting such ballots, if any
person or persons be named as first
choice upon more than ons. fourth Of al
the ballots cast, such person OF persons
to be dcclaed elected.
I. The remaining offices to be
filed by canvassing, as prescribed IN
Articles and 4. The person or per-
SOHS lidNiup LIS HiStiSSb AuhioSA -
votes to be elected. For example:
Legislative district electing three
Representatives, 10000 Republican
votes: 6,Oo0 Democratic votes.
Republicans vote for A, Is. { and
D. Democrats concentrate on \.
with z as second choice.
The vote stands as follows Mr.. \
ia choice y, 5000; Mr.. A cd choice
B C and D), 4.5oo; Mr.. Is (2d choice
A c and D), 2,4o9; Mr.. c cd choice
\ B and C), 1000. The total poll is
10000.
,MM4ssrs. 4 and Y have each re-
ceived over ore quarter OF the whole
vote as tirss choice. aLa are there
fore elected.
B, C and ID are each named on To-
ooo ballots. and Z is upon 5000 bal
lots, and as bctwe cen Is. G and D, B
had tie preference. being named on
the greater number of ballots as first
choice
l have purp ,sely arranged the fig
ures in the examples given, so as to
show the working OF the plan under
every art,cl,. Ordinarily it would
be simpler still.
Very truly yours,
GEO. B. WRIGHT.
q