Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-03
Richmond. August ..
Preferential Voting.

TO the Editor OF The Tirnesc DIspa,cn.
GovnrMn mere are three candidates for
usual situation In prospect, OF a nomie
nalton by a mere plurality. that is. by
ma,h5 ny we ought to have a better
one one. which would allow us TO EXPRESS
n nr and second choice, and thus in
Jori,v n xn,ns a domination by ma
t,he same way at the November eIeco
s .d;, want 10 ask you to give Your
enacted by the next Legisiature Id"
ny means OF what Is called prefer
9 m aiar,, Young. We can secure an actual
several candidates. just as though we
would take several ballots. but This +,
on only one actual ballot 80
The method is this Each voter n
vote his first and second choice and as
many third choices as he pleases Count
dd da al ha a. the sane fa time II any can
votes. he Is nominated If not, count in
s sr second choice votes along with the
majority he is nominated. If not add
u, all the third-choire votes, and II ia
nk re ,o. mat some some one then will have
having a majority. and the one having
me largest majority is nominated or
e vo,ers 1T This mears majority OF tho
ond and third choices
IT Ia obvious that one voter can yo+.
twice or oftene-. but not for the same
voter saws who he wants and aiso In ~
ne fs willing to have The result 10
mat the man elected has the consent OF
an an actual majority of the voters. ana
also he has the consent OF more voters
tnan any one else has. He comes tha
nearest OF all TO being unanimous
suppose there are ave candidate.
and the voter casts one first choice. one
S yoien ,S Choice; and two third choice
so,and-so. hut at the same time he Is
willing to have for Governor. Renreo
sentative. or whatever 1t may be. any
whom he did not vote al ali and or
objects to having that man set over
nm nm as an official; II the majority feel
smut out. But other voters will object
70 some one else. and 50 others NAV he
smut s,l,1 out too. The candidate who wins
Ing, him and so many others consentinc
TO him that he has the largest number
taken all together.
experience where the method has
has the largest number will have
ennush to he majority.
plurality One Of those FIVE candidates
might have only 25 per cent Of the
votes; he Is In the lead al right: for
ner cent. or something like that. Yet
taken together they are 10 per cent.
and =, might be that nearly all OF them
cent man SECOND choice; so there
would he ahn". - co,. Of the
voters wanting the Is per cent r.. '"'
preference 10 the one who got 90 nor
cent and vet the % per cent man would
he elected. Or thew might all he for
me 32 per cent man In preference 70
me 20 per cent one. If they could not
t, Just the one they liked best. So
this wav Is equivalent to taking sec
"nd ballot but without any additional
We ought to have this change IN the
,aw REGULATING the primary. AS a
this way mvseH: md behave II wo,iJ
he good thing fo- tho r1r.v ~. ~
state. am sending this propositIon
10 the three candidates for Governor.
Bancroft. Va. July 81. 1917. ~
To belgium. Crowned with Thorn..
Thou that brave brief space didst
keep the gate
Against the German, saving all the
West
BY the subsection of thy shielding
To the brute blows and utmost shame.
OF Fate;
Thou that in bonds OF iron dost expiate
my nobleness crime! Even
- thus oppressed. -
Is not thy spirit mystically bIest.
0 little Belgium. marvelously great?
Thou that hast priced the soul aboye :
the flesh.
Dost thou not. starving, eat Of angels
bread?
Has not this guerdon for all time SUI
feed
That thou shouldst wear upon thv
haCgard head