The independent., 1904-01-14
AN EXPERIMENT SUGGESTED
MI. Craig Suggests That The Independent
Conduct nm Experimental Election
ON the Choice for President


(The letter below is valuable, mas
much as it explains the practical oper-
alton of the Hare system of preferen-
tlal voting. This was also explained
fully by Mr.. Wakefield IN a series of
articles in The Independent some
months ago. 1t points out one of the
things which should not be over
looked in the event that the st. Louis
meeting decides to nominate canG1-
oates by direct vote. 1t could be de-
termined at that meeting that the ball
lots should be prepared and sent out
by the national committee 10 every
enrolled member of the peoples party.
And that printed in the ballot should
be the names OF all candidates for
either president or vice president who
should first be nominated by, say, at
least as many persons as would con-
stitute majority in the electoral col
lege. Space should also be provided
for writing in al least two names.
Then it could be decided that the
first candidate to receive the nomina-
ton should be the candidate of the
peoples party for president and that
the second should be the candidate for
vice president. as
For the present, The Independent
has not the time to conduct such an
election. The enrolment of The Old
Guard of Populism is a big enough
contract just now. Mr. Craig says.)
Editor Independent: / would sug-
gest that you might conduct an expert
mental election through your paper,
Or on a larger scale II desired, to de-
termine the real choice of popuiists
for candidate for president.
The Hare system Of preferential
voting to be used. Quite a number Of
candidates, say to II, may be nom
mated, and all names printed on one
ballot and sent out to The readers OF
The Independent.
The paper might require candidates
to receive signatures from. say, five
persons who intend to vote for the
nominee as first choice. Say five cam
didates are nominated.
2. LongfelloW.
4. Lowell.
/. Bryant.
3. Holmes.
S. Whittier.
The voter makes i before the can
didate of his first choice, 2 before his
second choice, ETC., marking all OF all
but one or two of the nominees in the
order of his choice.
If in this illustration Bryant should
receive majority of all first votes
cast he would be the nominee and
that would be the end of the matter.
IL, however, he received but a few
first votes and none of The candidates
received majority of first choice
votes, Bryant might be the lowest on
the poll, and he would be first de-
clared out of the count, his votes go
ing to number 2, on each ballot, and
so distributed. The next lowest is then
taken up and eliminated in like man
ner; il he have second choice votes
these go to number 3 or 4, etc.
When all bit two candidates are
out, the leader of these two Is the |
nominee and has the concurrent ma
lority of all votes cast. If there be |
tie, declare elected the candidate VINO
had most first choice votes. Let us
suppose that voter votes thus
Longfellow.
Lowell.
Bryant.
/ Holmes.
Whittier
Holmes /, and making no in |
fications OF his preference among
Ii Holmes is eliminated, |
he returning board can't transfer the
vote to other candidates; hence, Ii
would be a null or waste vote.
This shows the importance OF mark |
ng nearly all of the candidates with /
fsures !, 2, 3. 1, s. G. 4, etc. in the
lrder OF choice
Now. notice that the voter will /
nave no trouble In voting. The &C.
nrning officers may have 10 carefully
study the matter before beginning the
'ount.
II you wish 10 try a real ballot. this
8 IL. Your voters may be scattered i
III over the country ana still have a
rec choice, sending their ballots hy
nal, In voting they should utterly /
,ut from their minds the old scare
row ot Don't throw your vote away
'ecause II the trst and real choice II
he voter Ia no' elected. hts vote goes
a number Z. ete., and he @iil get the