The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-29
BIENNIAL CITY ELECTIONS
PLAN PROPOSED LAST NIGHT BY
THE GENERAL REGISTRARS.
They Would Eliminate the CITY Eiec-
tions In April and Have City Ohcials
Take Office on January 1-The Lesis-
lature May be Asked to Amend the City
Charter In Accordance With This
Plan.


Plan.
The committee to which was referred
the recommendation Of the general reg
istrars that the wards OF the city pe dl-
vided into voting precincts held meet
ing last night at which General hesls-
trars Hamilton and Foley ana they
deputies were present. The commlltee
will hold another meeting next fflaay
evening and it is probable that then
recommendation will be drawn up 10
present to the court Of common coun-
Gil. The recommendation will, 1t Is ex-
pected, be to the effect that the Waras
be divided into voting precincts, as Iol-
lows: Second ward, two; Third Ward'
three; Fourth ward, three; Sixth Ward,
two; Seventh ward, two; Eighth Ward,
two; Ninth ward, three; Tenth Waru'
two; Eleventh ward, two, and TWel1th
ward shree. 1t is not likely that any
changes will be recommended Tor the
First, Fifth, Thirteenth, Fourteehth
and Fifteenth wards.
At last nights meeting General Reg-
istrar Foley proposed some considerable
changes in the time of holding city cleo
tions He proposed that the city cleo
ton in April should be changed to be
held in November, thereby eliminating
entirely the spring elections. Under the
present system the general election is
held in November every two years. ana
the city election, for the election OF
mayor and other city officials, Is held
in the succeeding April. Not only this,
but city election for the election OF
aldermen ard councilmen is held each
year in April. The registrars under the
present system take the registration and
the board for making voters meeting
Just before the general election in No
vember and again about five months
later. Just before the succeeding April
election. Then after the April election
the next registration and making of
voters does not take place until just
before the next occurring November
election, about eight months later
Mr.. Foley's suggestion is that mat
ters be arranged so the April election
Of all city officials take place in No
vember, the city election to take place
in November in odd years, alternating
with the general elections. He then
proposed that the registration of and
making OF voters take place at an es-
tablished time each year.
Mr.. Foley stated before the commit
tee that he thought that charter
amendment to carry out the plan sug-
eested by Mr.. Hamilton and himself
the general registrars, might be secur-
ed in time to have the next city election
which under the present arrangement
would take place in April, changed to
take place next November and in order
to make this effective he suggested that
the charter amendment might provide
that the present city officials, including
the mayor whose term of office under
the present provision expires in June
and whose successors are to be elected
at the coming city election. be extended
so that they will expire December 81.
amendment could not be secured before
April he suggested that the amendment
provide that the city official elected in
April hold Office until January 1, 1904,
when their successors elected in No
vember, 1908 would take office Ac-
cording to the registrars plan city Of
fetal terms OF office would begin on
January instead of June /, as at pres
ent
IT Is then proposed that councilmen be
elected Cor terms of two years and al
dermen for terms of four years. two
aldermen to be elected in each ward at
the first election under the new plan,
one for term os four years and one
for term of two years, and one alder
man to be elected at each election
thereafter, that is biennially.
This plan it will be seen, provides for
Biennial city elections, and for city cleo
tions taking place an alternate years
with the general election. The plan fur
ther provides for the election of town
clerk, registrar of vital statistics, and
other old town officers remaining under
the consolidation act at the same time
with city officials, and that all these
officers shall take office on January l.
General Registrar Hamilton endorsed
the plan proposed by Mr.. Foley.
This plan will be referred to the COM
mon council. and if it meets with the
approval of that body it will be propos-
ed at the present legislature as an
amendment to the city charter
TEEERTES md RTVIJN ARREgTEn