Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-06-14
VOTING

PROPORTIONAL VOTING
Aside from the, merits Of the con-
test between the Manitoba admins
tration and its political opponents,
which will reach ITS climax at the
polls on June %, and in which our
people naturallyStake a neighborly M
terest, there is special interest in the
test which is at that time to be made
on a comprehensive scale Of the plan
Of proportiQnal representation. This
test will be, made in the city of VIM
nipeg, where ten members of the pro-
visional parliament are to be elected.
What is known as the flare system
of proportional representation has
been adopted in several American
cities, where it's results appear to be
quite satisfactory, and quite a UNI
Der Of people advocate its general
adoption. So far as The Herald is
aware the election Of members from
Winnipeg will afford the first instance
on this continent of the application Of
the plan to the election of members to
a state or provincial legislative body.
The Hare system was advised in
order to provide a means whereby
minorfties, If of reasonable size, might
secure representation in elective bod
les approximately in proportion to
their numbers. If the population Of
a territory Is divided into several par
ties OF groups. and the membership
OF those groups is uniformly. distri-
buted, under the election methods
commonly in vogue all Of the repre-
sentatives elected will be Of the ma
jority groups in each case failing,
possibly by only narrow margins, to
elect any of their candidates. The
elected body will IN that case be com
posed entirely of members Of one. fac
ton. Or, If the distribution 10 such
that the faction most numerous in the
territory at large has unnecessarily
large ~major1ties In some districts and
is in a slight minority in q large num-
Der Of others, the minority group may
easily elect the greater number of
candidates and thus control the elect
ed body. This situation is often met
in actual practice.N
The Hare system is applicable only
where two or more Representatives
are to be chosen from the same cleo
tive district. The greater the number
Of membrs from a district the great
er is the opportunity for each group
to obtain representation on the basis
of its actual voting strength. Briefly,
the theory is that IL there are six
persons to be elected from a given
district. and on the issues presented
the voting population is divided into
three parties on the basis Of SO, SO 1-3.
and 16 2-s per gent respectively. the
major party is entitled to three rep
the second to two, and
the third to m instead of the entire
SIX being elected by the major fac
ton. The Hare system is intended to
produce results on this basis. and in
actual practice it does so as,nearly as.
e%xactness in such matters is humanity
possible.
Inc system n TAlNef IN
the tabulation OF the vote, but this
does not concern the individual vot-
er, for so a as he is concerned. it
is simplicity itself. If there are six
men to be elected he votes for six.
en~umerating them in the order Of,
his preference. That issall. Tho.
enumerators take care OF the rest.
One great advantage that is claim,
ed for the systemtts that it tends tsS
prevent sudden and violent changes
in the. complexion, and consequently
in the. policy of. representative bodies,
numerically important groups are,
always represented, and. whatever
CHANGES take place are merely in
keeping with the changes In the
strength of,parties.
. In the Manitoba election the city
of Winnipeg will elect ten members
at large, and, these viii be voted for
'uder. the Hare plan. The experiment
is worthy Of attention. "