Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-19
CITY COMMISSION GOVERNMENT
v,f.-rnEDEnIc ). nAskI>,

ASllTAEuLA, o. January lS.--Ash-
tabula deserves place In history as the
first town in this country to violate the
ancient American prncipl" that the
majority rules. II has added one more
new flourish TO commission govern
Rcnt by clccting its commissioners Oh
ia" proportional representation plan
which ENSURES that the minority shall
be represented in the city government
incidentally the Ashtnhulans have
shown most progressive civic spirit.
ana talent for higher mathematics
wnch is even more amazing 10 the las
observer
This innovation was just pat into
practtc" NJ tho last election. SO II hns
get 10 stand the test OF time: but the
way tn" problem has been worked out
in Ashtabula is interesting In itself
when YOU Nrst hear about the pro
portiouai representation method al yot-
ting and counting ballots, YOU Nish that
whoever brOugh, up til" subject would
talk about some simple little thing like
integral calculus. the prehistoric cIyi-
liza,iou of China. IN. fourth dimension
or cseteric Buddhism. The enact arr
OF anne or 4 scientific determination
Of why the hen crosses the road r.
simplicity itself compared 10 the pro-
portioual representation system. a pro-
cess even longer and more complicated
than its name.
However, .Ashtabula has passed 4 sue
ccssful examination. and VIVA, man
has dou" man can do 50 here goes,
Don't mind the supposiup. because
you've got To suppose a lot to under
stand II. ana when the smuk" is all
cleared away IT Is fouud tha, tho sys-
tom really docs accomplish it, the0-
rctical purpose.
Preferential Ballot Explained.
~ The mrs, place. any CITIZEN who
can get . per cen, of the voters ~ tn"
last election To SIGN a petition tor
him can have his name printed on
the ballot along with the other cnuai-
dates. III Ashtahu!t a city commisst or
~ seven ucnhcrs was being elected.
and fourteen mon happened 10 he rum
ming for the Jobs. The system would
hay" worked the same KAY II FORTY
had been running. No nominations are
made b. any party or organization.
Each ballot bears the names of all
the candidates. printed iu one column.
When Nj Voter goes - til. polls
on election day, he Is given such a
ballot In front of each name is a
blank square. and Ii is ia this mar
he docs his voting He votes Tor as
many men as there are jobs to mn
IN AShtuhula the number is seven
I, is right hcrc ho,rcy.r ~,
system gets mn and ,y;,IIss ~, -, ,,,t,
angles from tho ordj,,,,. = =.
yotin. in mis- co,,,,r, ~. ~
looks over the names and picks ont ,h.
man, whom no 10 ,nn., 10, ,i,.,,, 49,. y
elected. In the square in front Of this
mans name he writes the figure Ono.
Then -. ni,r,s nnt ~. ~
would liL. ~ b.,.o I..,i 800 80
one docsn', .c, ~ ana j., ~ -
frn,., ,r liz - 49, -, W s'"nit ~
",,,o .rhi.. mrncs y; e,,, ~ ~ hrr
10 Nc .xn.e.s.t ".,''
orl.r az III. rrnforo,o. - ~
ou;coe - - 80 seven
~ .,f H.
rrr ,,a,' 1i''',' "tG ltS.
thnn,.,t,..,, - 70 r. az" t'' ma
r,o,,, .b,' 49,, ~, ~ - ih,it
Inc, hi.i 49, ,, 'Hui ''ti!"'
=, a.i ~ NtN'i oi'ic'
,., ,, 49, - '"t"t| "
;.a,o ' ~ ih''hla'.d
~, ,ra,1 - w." 'hS.i'ate 10
n..;i, fa,,t - "','"''' ""' ~ ""'i'h'S are
~" w.
Nhnt the "tlu"fa" Is
The experts throw out an ballots
that are for amy reason Invalid, ANA
count the ballots remaining. rhcy
lots by ~ number one grcatcr than the
number OF Offices TO be nllrd. In Ash
tahula there were 2,972 valid ballots.
and seven officers. So o.972 was divid-
ed by eight, giving IL result OF 372
This number. 372, is called tho
quota" Any candidate who was tho
first choice OF 312 voters was forth
with declared elected. But, obviously.