The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-12-13
ADVANCED
MUNICIPAL PLAN
Colorado Town Has Remarkable
Awakening Intended To Purify
Politics and Promote Popular
Government

GRAND JUNCTION. Col. pec H.
The people OF Grand Junction. the
largest city on the western slope ~
the Rockies. between Denver and
salt Lake, believe that they have
discovered a method 20 deliver a last
ns knockout blow 10 organized
gang" politics
They have adopted and just aeId
the first election under the prefertu.
tial or choice" system OF voting. n
der this system an elector can woe
for variety OF candidates for The
same Office.
Is result of their first election,
said 10 be- the only election OF It's kind
ever held ia America. they hav" elect
"a Thos. VI Todd mayor. In his home
town ne is recognized as leading
citizen. a wealthy lumber merchant
and fancy fruit farm owner lie IS 4
man III conservative principles and
the city expects Ia grow swiftly I'm.
der his administrators Ills first act
was To revamp the police department
Las April the citizens ot Grand
Junction. after going through a bitter
local option campaign declared for a
dry" city. Twelve saloons went ont
Of business Fearful. however thai sen.
timent might change, the temperance
people put the question OF calling n
charter convention 10 the people. 1 he
voters determined 10 call the ConVen-
ton and revise the city's organic law.
The convention consisted OF u Citi-
zens. seven OF whom were union labor
men. one a lawyer. three bankers,
and the remaining 10 business men.
There was not an Office holder or po!-
itician in the body.
The convention was in session 90
days. When IL reported to the people
IL offered an advanced system OF mu-
nicipal control in America. The in
itiative and referendum. the recall.
civil service. bank guaranty for city
deposits the elimination OF all parti-
San politics. and the prohibition OF TIE
saloon were among its provisions. II
also provided for the new preferen-
tial system OF voting and the commits.
sion form of city government Five
commissioners run the city. each l.
voting his whole time to the vork and
being elected for four years. No city
work can he done bv contract. which
eliminates powerful source OF graft.
All franchises must be voted on by tie
people before going into effect. No
public service company can have 4
monopoly OF any street or alley All
public service companies are subject
to rigid regulation and all franchises
ere revokable.
The charter was adopted by the peo-
rle by vote OF TO |.
One Carriage is Limit
The preferential system OF voting
Ieombines the direct primary with the
general election and does away with
the cumbersome second election as IS
necessary i'm Los Angeles. Berkeley
Cal. and Colorado Springs. Any citi
zen who will take an oath that he Is
or good moral character" can be q
candidate for any office IL he will file
with the city clerk petition signed
by % electors. In this petition he
also takes oath that he is NOT the
candidate Of any political party. com
mittee or organization. He limits him
self 20 the use Of but one carriage on
election day. and this carriage can
only be used 20 care for sick and In
firm voters. Should he violate any 81
these pledges he forfeits office, Il
elected
Under the preferential system The
voter can vote for as many candi
dates as there are running for any OF
fee save one II five candidates are
running for mayor he can vote foi
four of them. He selects his first
choice: then he picks his second
choice. For third choice he can vote
for as many OF the remaining candl
Gates as ne chooses SAVE ONE.
II no candidate receives plurality
~ the votes on the first choice count
The candidate receiving the lowest
number % votes drops ont. and 10 the
arst choice vote OF each Of the 70
naming candidates is added the sec
ond choice votes II no candidate has
a Dlnrallty the third choices are added
Ia each candidates total and major
itv vote then elects.
In the first election held under this
rIan- Todd rpcptvpJi- bttt a tAiFa az The
first choices. but on second and miro
choices received about 20 per cent o.
tho vote cast This elected him over
I've other contestants.
The system is being watched Win
great interest by many cities planning
- adopt the commission system 81
.rlty government The state OF Idahc
viii use this system in its state cleo