Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-06-25
Proportional Representation
Explained by Mr.. EmmeIuth

of Senators and Representatives either
at large for the whole Republic. or by
islands. as now provided for the cleo
ton Of Senators. thereby doing away
with the district" system of voting:
eventually 1t would from the very ma
ture Of things result in the abolition of
the Senate as well, as there would be
no need for any further check against
unjust legislation than could be found
in the house itself by reason of It's
members being representative of all
classes having the right to vote.
The election is by a quota the same
being ascertained by dividing the num-
Der of votes cast at an election by the
number of Representatives to be elect
ed-the distinguishing and most ex-
cellent feature of this system being
that the wasted votes are reduced to "a
minimum. The method of voting and
style of ballot used may be similar to
the Australian ballot system as con-
Quoted on these Islands except that
where in the present system person
voting for Senator on this island cal,
make up vote for each of six candl-
dates. BY the preferential system he
would place numbers opposite the
names of six candidates in tho order
Of his choice. placing the figure go OPP
posite the name of the candidate whom
he most desires to see elected "2" OPP
pOsite his next best candidate "2"
against his third choice and so on 10
the sixth.
The ballots are not counted ana vote
under the present system: but. on clos
ing the polls the ballot box ana regis
ter are sealed up together with q re-
port OF the days occurrences and for
warded to the Registration Bureau
where the counting and distribution Of
ballots takes place.
a number of upright letter flies one
for each candidate are pro, idcd and
marked each with the name of candi-
date. The distribution Of the ballots
is accomplished by placing each ballot
on the file of The candidate opposite
whose name the figure 60 Is marked
on such ballot All the ballots having
been so fled and the total number
cast determined, the quota il found as
above stated.
Should any Of the files hold quota
of ballots or more. the surplus II any,
Is taken from such file and distributed
over the remaining files or second
choice, in the same manner rs the orr
ginal distribution. the quota of ballots
is removed from the file of the elected
candidate placed in an envelope and
ton of the surplus of those thus elected
having taking place others have ,heir
quota filed by the addition of second
choice ballots and are likewise dispos-
ed of-the surplus being divided
, among the remaining candidates and
the quota set aside as above stated.
II upon distribution of any series of
surplus ballots II should be found tina;
, none of the remaining candidates have
: obtained quota, then the process
! known as elimination is brought into
, play. the candidate on whose file he
e least number of ballots appear is drop
ped ont and the ballots on his Gle are
! distributed over the remaining files in
| like manner as the surplus ballots arc
disposed-this process OF election on
the one hand, and elimination On The
} other. Is continued until the number OF
r candidates files remaining Is reduced
to the number remaining to be elected
) These are declared elected by what
t ever number of ballots each has On mis-
Q Ale at the time. In this way one Ol
possibly two out Of dozen represen'
= tatives may get in on few votes less
: than the quota: but the loss will moi
/ amount TO more than five per cent OF
r the total vote cast and where the con
= stituency is large not more than one
= half of one per cent of the vote cast
would be thus ineffective.
= Now let us take the returns from tn,
( Island Of Hawaii in the election foI
4 Representatives, 1892, and see how tn,
[ division of the island into districts
e. operated; compare the seven constitu
4 encies with the number of electors, IN,
. show by the table what would hay,
q occurred had the seven been voted Of
leo by the island at large on the p. p. X
plan: