New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-12
THE REMSEN SYSTEM OF VOTING.
IT'S TRIAL IN THE BROOKLYN BALLOTING
TWO WEEKS AGO

The members of the National Civic Club, Of
Brooklyn appear to be well pleased with the result
OF the STRAW ballot" for Mayor Of Greater New
York taken under their direction two weeks ago,
especially it indicated a decisive majority In
favor OF the nomination Of Seth Low. One man.
not a member of the club who took deep interest
in the balloting and felt special satisfaction In the
outcome was Daniel s. Remsen. a lawyer Of this
city whose method Of voting. whereby the voter
indicates his first and second choice was employed
in the Brooklyn experiment.
This method described in The Tribune four
or five Yeas ago when Mr.. Remsen declared that
it was the only way by which 1t was certain that
Tammany Hall could be beaten In municipal con-
tests I'm this city. The method has been adopted in
Australia. and is said by fair-mnded judges TO give
good satisfaction. MIR Remsen has had some cor
respondence with prominent men there on the sub
ject Some time ago Sir Samuel Griffith, Chief JUS
tce Of the Supreme Court Of Queensland wrote to
him to this effect: mo difficulty whatever has
been found in its operation so far as know, and
it certainly may have the effect to prevent a can
didate who has only minority OF votes from
being elected The only objections I have seen
made to il from persons who are conscious
that they cannot command a majority Of the votes
but still desire TO be elected"
This method Of voting can be employed. OF course
only where there more than two candidates. and
the idea is that the voter shall express by means
of figures placed opposite the names his first choice
choice the latter to be operative only in case his
first choice fails 10 secure a majority Of all the
votes cast The figure is TO be placed opposite the
name Of the hrst-choice candidate and the figure
opposite the name Of the second choice.
Hitherto the experiments made with the Remsen
method have been on a small scale In the voting
the other day nearly nine thousand ballots
cast and the great majority of the voters indicated
their second well their first choice In speak
ing of the result. when called at his law office
No. 60 Wa-st.. Mr.. R@msen said: There sew
eral interesting and to my mind important things
shown by this balloting. | regard II indcati ting
conclusvely that the system OF first and second
choice voting in which have been specially inter-
ested for several years. will work well In practice
! may say that have never entertained any doubt
on that point. and in fact. the experience In Aus
tralia Is sufficient proof of Its practicability. In
actua, voting 1t is most unlikely that should
have large number OF candidates as on
the experimental ballot. but even with that large
number there difficulty.
so far as the ballot shows that Seth Low Is the
candidate Of large proportion OF the 1t Is
entirely satisfactory, and the voting for him
undoubtedly done by men who were honest and sin
cere II would he a mistake, though. 10 suppose
that the man getting the second largest number O.
Is the favorite candidate OF any large number
naturally be drawn by one knowing nothing OF the
men or Of the circumstances In which the voting
are convinced that there was an organized and
extraordinar, effort the part OF Gleasons friends
TO make large showing for him as possible
Now. according 10 the principle which the
system is based the names Of the candldaies having
the fewest votes are TO be dropped one after an
other beginning with the one having the smallest
supporters OF these candidates are IN he added 10
the votes given for the other candidates. See how
this would work In the case OF Mr. Low In the
first place eliminate the scattering and give
the leading candidate "a second-choIce votes The
next man 10 go Is OBrien. and from him Low gets
2S votes. Then comes Fitch, giving Low Is: Bliss
giving Low 100; Tracy. giving Low 1873: Gaynor
mngs giving Low s. Add these votes to the $3.50
cast for Low. and he would have "a total Of l. eG1
anos, a majority OF the entire number OF bal
lo-e