Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-16
COMMISSION GOVERNMENT
XIV Unique Features.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

BY its destruction Of precedent the COM
mission form of city government has
given the publicist a free field in which
to exercise his genius for devising new
methods of assuring honest administra-
ton, efficient execution Of laws and eco
nonlical handling Of the public finances.
AS the new system Of city government
has extended over the country 1t has en-
couraged experimentation. with the re-
suit that many peculiar features have
been added to the plan.
Perhaps the most radical departure from
the ordinary course of politics is the
election method adopted by the city
of Grand Junction. Col. 1t is styled
the preferential SYSTEM and substi-
tutes for the usual plurality election in
which the candidate receiving the highest
number of votes is elected, a somewhat
complicated method for recording the
first, second and third choices of each
voter among the list of candidates offer
ing. Grand Junction denies that the
plan is complex, asserting that it works
easily and without confusion.
Under this preferential system there
is no primary election at all. The race
is a free-for-all. and any person may
become a candidate for any Office merely
by fulfilling the requirement as to getting
his name on the ballot. The voter takes
the ballot on election day and expresses
thereon his first, second and third choice
for each office to be filed. If when the
votes are counted 1t is found that one
candidate Is the first choice Of a majority
of all the voters. he Is declared elected.
If no one is the first choice of majority.
then the first choice and second choice
votes Of each candidate are added to-
gether. If after this addition candidate
has a majority of first and second choice
votes. he is elected. But If there is still
the first. second and third choices for
each candidate are added, and the one
receiving the highest number Of votes
of all classes is declared the successful
candidate.
This plan effectually prevents the
election by the plurality method of a
ca d date
Majority Approval who might
Necessary to Election. tionable to
a majority Of the voters For instance,
under the ordinary plurality method
there might be three candidates for an
office. two representing good govern
ment' and one the gang" The good
government vote taken together would be
a majority, but the gang candidate
might be elected by the split in the OPP
posing forces. Under the preferential
system the first and second choice votes
for the two good government candi-
dates would outweigh the first choice
votes OF the gang candidate.
Excellent as 1t is in theory, this plan
has appeared to be too complex for prac-
teal use and although Grand Junction
is highly pleased, the system has not
been adopted in any other city. Most
cities seeking TO obviate the same evil
of plurality elections prefer the double
election plan of Des Moines, which is
designed to eliminate the undesirables In
the first election. leaving the better candi-
dates for the final race.
The Boston probation plan" for the
mayoralty Is an example of a modifica-
ton OF the principle of the recall Under
this system the mayor is elected for four
years. At the end Of two years the citi-
zens may obtain an expression of opinion
as to the success of his administration by
placing on the ballot at the regular No
vember election the question: shall the
mayor face another election?" If ma
jority OF the electors vote yes another
election is held in which the mayor is a
candidate. If he is defeated he retires in
favor Of the successful candidate. If he
is again elected he serves the remainder
Of his original term. This is a limited
recall" designed to prevent the agita-
ton and unrest caused by too frequent
demands for recall election under the I'M
limited system.
Birmingham. the Alabama industrial
metropolis, takes the lead Of all commits
S i on-gov-
Birmingham's Salaries erned cit