The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-26
SOON TOARRANGE
new WARD LINES
Ordinance Committee Must Des-
ignate Voting Precincts as
Ordered by Council.

a special meeting of the Council
committee on Ordinance, Charter and
Rel Reform sIr1, VIII shortly be called by
the Precinct lines and designate the
voting. places in conformity with the
new plan OF redistricting the city into
Council Not until a definite scheme
OF precincts has boon adopted by tho
Councl can the judge of the Hastings
Court proceed In the matter OF APP
poll books to conform to the new
lines. II is necessary that this be
done In ample time for the spring
election and councilmanic primary In
order that there may be no confusion.
II is anticipated that most of the pres
ent voting places will be retained, but
INC boundaries OF the precincts must
new ward lines.
the redistrictinE ordinance recently
Sisned oH the Mayor and dividing the
city into four wards has entirely taken
the place of chapter two of the Rich
mond City Code, except that insofar
as they affect the seats of present
members OF the Council. the old lines
are continued In effect until the next
election, which is to be made on the
new basis. The ordinance which the
committee on Ordinance. Charter and
Ietorm has been instructed 10 pre-
pare dehnins the new precinct lines
and the voting places. Will when adopt
By the Council. supcrsedc chapter three
OF tn City Code.
Delegations May Prepare PInp.
In order to simplify the procGdurc,
it has been suggested that tho dele
cation now serving in the Council
from each OF the now wards hold a
conference. and agree on plan of
Is probable that such u meeting will
he called shortly by the jefferson and
Marshall Ward members, who 1.-Two in
me bounds Of new Jefferson Ward
nj hn rit,
teenth Street--to prepare such a
schedule for submission to the COM
II is believed that some reduction
will be made in the total number Of
precincts. Since consolidation with
Manchester there have been twenty
nine precincts. As the new plan CT
redistricting gives approximately equal
population in each ward, it has been
suggested that there be either five or six
precincts for each ward. making TWEEN
~ or twenty-four in all. On the basis
OF five precincts TO ward, it would
mean less than 1000 people living IN
the bounds OF each precinct, and no
precinct would have ma Ximum reg
istration of more than 500 TO 1000.
The qualified voting strength would
probably not be half OF that. For
some years the city precincts have
Decn very unequal in their boundaries
as is shown BY the tahulatcd returns
OF any recent election, some returning
only twenty-five to nifty votes. while
others have from 800 To 500. The
equalization due TO the redistrictine.
II is believed, Will greatly facilitate
the handling OF election returns and
relieve the ovcrcrowded officials at
some of the larger election precincts
II is believed that 1t will take thirty
To Sixty days for the commissioners to
make the necessary corrections of the
Poll books so that the Ordinance Com
inittee has little time to lose II thu
new plan is to be adopted and in full
operation by the councilmanic primary
which Will probably be called early In
APRIL IN that primary the Mayor and
All OF the members of the Common
Council are to be nominated.