The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-28
TEXT Of PREFERENTIAL
BALLOT MEASURE
BIZ As Prepared by City Attorney
Pollard VIII Work Great Change
ia Primary Elections.

AT the request of the Charter
Changes Committee of City Council
City Attorney Pollard has prepared
a bill to be presented to the Legisla-
ture at the meeting in January. pro-
viding for q charter change giving
Richmond the privilege of expert
menting on the preferential ballet in
primary elections. Under this bill
any political party may use the bal
lot. which is designated for the pur-
pose OF nominating candidates for
office who receive a majority Of all
the votes cast.
Councilman Clyde II. Radcliffe is
patron OF the measure. He believes,
as he has stated before the commit
tee. that 1t will prove . great sue
cess, and VIII be the fairest pian ny
which the wishes of the people may
be expressed. Here Is the draft OF
the bill.
To amend and fe-enact section s
OF an act approved March rs. 1914.
entitled. AN act to amend and re-
enact an act entitled an act to es-
tablish and regulate the holding of
primary elections. to pay expenses of
same, TO secure the regularity and
purity OF the same. and to prevent
and punish any corrupt practices In
connection Herewith, approved March
a. 1912, 10 provide for the use OF the
preferential ballot in primary cleo
tons TO nominate candidates for any
municipal office OF emolument in
cities of this Commonwealth having
a population IN excess OF 100000.
l. BE 1t enacted by the General AS
sembly OF Virginia that section Of
an act entitled. An act to amend
~ ~
to establish and regulate the holding
OF primary elections: TO pay expenses
of same. to secure the regularity and
parity of ths same. and to prevent
and punish any corrupt practices in
connection Herewith, approved March
IA, 1912" be amended and re-en-
acted SO as u read an follows
g. The vote required to nominate
Any candidate for party nomination
to any office who receives a plurality
OF the votes cast by his party shah
be the nominee of his party for such
office and his name shah be printed
on the official ballots used in the
election for which the primary was
held. In case OF tie. the nominee
shall he determined by lot In ac-
cordance with election law Of the
State But nothing in this act shall
prohibit the country or city commit
tee Of any political party from hold
ing primary which requires a ma
jority of tho vote cast in the said pri-
mary TO nominate; provided how
ever, that in cities OF this Comm on
wealth having a population in excess
of Zoe, 600 inha bitants as ascertained
by the las, United States census that
a majority OF the vote cast in any
primary to nominate candidates to
fill any municipal Office of emolument
shall be determined by the system
OF voting known as the preferential
ballot" in the following manner.
(a) All ballots used In elections
held under the authority of this act
shall be without party mark or desig-
nation ballots used for the election
or candidates shall contain COM
pIete list OF the offices TO be filled,
and the names of candidates for each
office shall be arranged under the
title thereof as hereinafter provided.
The ballots shall be 80 printed that
each elector shall be enabled to desig-
uate for each office the candidate OF
his first choice. the candidate of his
seond choice. and such other candt-
dates as he may desire to support;
but no ballot shall be considered
legal when counted, where the voter
IaiiS 10 express has seSouu anu luiTu
choice on such ballot In every casa
where there are three or more candi.
dates being voted for.
(b) Except that the crosses here
shown shall he omitted. and that In
place OF the titles OF Offices and names
OF candidates here shown there shall
appear the title Of omces actually to
be filled and the names Of cAndi-
dates nominated therefor, the ballots
shalt be printed substantially as fol-
lows:
Form of Ballot.
Regular Cor specially municipal cleo
ton.
znstructions-To vote for any candi-
date. make a cross tx) In the squares
In the appropriate column according
10 YOUR choice at tho right Of tho