The Advocate and news., 1898-10-05

1 W ~ sAg p4uaAG OpUubALG LuC AAAAAp VI
his first choice-the one he most wants
eleeted-then the figure to the name Of
his second choice, for his third choice,
and so on, so that In case his first choice
| cannot be elected, or does not need his
vote, his ballot will be counted for his
next choice, or some further one, until
it becomes effective in electing some one.
When the polls have been closed the
total number of ballots cast are divided
by the number of representatives TO be
elected from the district, rejecting any
remainder, and the quotient is the cleo
toFal quota, or number Of votes required
to elect one candidate. A spindle or
other file having been labeled for each
candidate, as the ballots are drawn from
the box the name marked No. 1, or first
choice, is read out and the ballot placed
on that file When any candidate has
received an electoral quota Of first choice
ballots he Is declared elected and his
quota of ballots sealed up and elm
mated from the count, any surplus first
choice ballots cast for him being trans
ferred to their second choice, or if sec
Ond choice cannot be elected, or does not
need them, to third choice, and so on un-
til they become effective in the election
Of candidate. It has been fully DEM
onstrated by experience that by this
method from ninety to ninety-seven per
cent. Of all ballots cast are effective
that is, they are cast for elected candi-
dates, and not, as now, half or more
wasted on defeated candidates.
Let us apply this to an election Of Con-
gressmen from Kansas. Eight are to be
elected, the State being the district, and
the vote Of the State 321 900, which num-
ber divided by eight gives an electoral
quota of 10000 and rejected remainder
OF 1000. Instead of fusion (Which is an
effort to secure some measure of proper
tional representation there would be
Republican, Peoples party, Democratic
Prohibition and possibly other tickets
voted for. Democrats and Populists
would each make the others candidates
their second choice; gold standard and
corporation Democrats would make Re-
publicans their second choice, while the
Republican second choices would prob
ably be divided between Democratic and
Peoples party candidates, but in no
event could any one, or even two parties,
elect all the candidates, and each party
would probably be represented very
nearly in proportion to its voting
strength
State Senators would be chosen from
districts of contiguous territory, each
district returning five, seven or nine SEN
ators, and Representatives from similar
districts, but returning from nine to
twelve or more members Of the lower
house. BY this method an electoral
quota of, say, one-ninth or one-tWeltfh
the total vote of the district, could elect
one Senator or Representative, so that
new schools of thought which now have
no show whatever of Representation,
could then have voice in legislation.
County Commissioners, City Councils,
ETC., would be elected at large, so that
not only would all the voters of the mu-
nicipality be equally represented, but
minorities which are now excluded en-
tirely would have voice in their own
government,
Applied to the election Of State officers,
Mayors of cities, ETC., where but one cam
didate can be elected, the preferential
ballot is the only system which effectu-
ally prevents election by minority plu-
rality.
Let us contrast election Of State Off
GERS in Kansas under the present and the
proposed systems, trying the present one
first:
Let us suppose the candidates are:
Leedy, Peoples party; Stanley, Repub-
lican; St. John, Prohibition; Overmeyer,
Democrat; 100000 votes being cast, Of
which Leedy receives 100000, Stanley
1863 900, st. John 10000 and Overmeyer
$4,000. Stanley would be elected on a
plurality of 5000 over Leedy, though he
had received 7S less than one-third Of the
ballots cast, or 10000, his opponents re-
ceiving 2670OO, or rs more than twice as
many. Without fusion this would be
about the probable result this fall which
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