ABSOLUTE MAJORITY VOTING

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11929, 28 June 1899, Page 3

ABSOLUTE MAJORITY VOTING

TO THE EDITOR. Sir On the explanatory sheet ; which was used’ at Mr M’Nab’s meeting, it was shown, by way of illustration, Heston’s 2100 votes were struck out and tlie 'preferential wtes distributed;Jg other three candidates. The lowest of thethree mentioned candidates was also struck off, and the preferential votes, tu the man: her of 3700, were divided between and Turner. Not a few of the audience were perplexed at the.• results as it was not fully explained to them that No. 2 preferential vote was recorded on oOUot Braddon’s papers. Should you give this matter publicity, I am sure it ; wiU cause lots of electors {who at present think it too complicated), to be in favour of this excellent voting system.—l am, etc., A.H.

TO THE EMTOK. Sir,—The system of voting advocated in Mr M’Nab’s Absolute 'Majority Bill appears to me far more involved than the following, a letter advocating which appeared in your paper some time ago, but which elicited little, if any, response, bay there are six candidates in a given constituency ; the voter numbers their names in the order of his preference, but reverses the usual order, giving the largernumber to his best-liked candidate. To his name he adds the number 6, to the name of the next best-liked the number 5, to the next 4, and .50. 0 n, tiUi.tbeiha^iife^jlpasfc:liked receives only tire number one. Obviously, this is the truest method of preferential voting, for, if the number 6 he taken to represent , one vote, then 5 equals 5-6ths, 4 equals 4-6ths or 2-3rds, and so in downward gradation of preference, yet in no case whatever can the vote be lost. The duty of the scrutineer is reduced to simple long addition. The 'candidate receiving the largest number of votes is absolutely correctly found on .the first count, and there is no need of any second count. I should like to know what could be urged against this method of voting. Mr M’Nab’s method is certainly cumbrous, and I think would be incomprehensible to, at any rate, some women voters. —I am, etc., A.E.H.