ELECTORAL REFORM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5501, 28 February 1896, Page 1

ELECTORAL REFORM.

■» (Prom the Lyttelton]Times.) It is more easy to recognise the weakness of the second ballot as a means of arriving at the true representation of the opinions of an electorate than it is to find a plan as ready and as simple for preventing the will of the majority from being thwarted. A correspondent has, however, suggested a kind of modified Hare system, which would eerve the purpose by allowing every elector to record his vote in the order of preference for every candidate. Thus, if there were five candidates for a seat, each elector would vote by marking opposite each name figures from one to five, the figure one representing the candidate he considered best fitted, and so on. In counting the votes the returning-oflicer and his assistants would at first only count the " first preference " votes. If any candidate had an absolute majority he would be declared elected ; but if not, I the one who had the smallest nuniber }of votes, would .be struck out and tfaie " second preference " votes 'on' .his papers would be apportioned between the other candidates, v Supposing that this gave no one an absolute majority, the lowest candidate would be again struck off and the second preference votes on his papers apportioned; and so on, if necessary, through the whole list of candidates, and down to the " fifth preference votes," We print an example supplied by our correspondent of an election at which three thousand votes are supposed to be distributed between five candidates. This is worked out until one of the candidates secures an absolute majority, as follows : —

This simple illustration shows at a glance the superiority of the proportional method of voting over the rude device of a second ballot. There would be no complexity whatever about the system suggested even in the case of triple electorates where the voter would simply receive three ballot papers in place of one. The method of our correspondent has the further advantage that it would obviate the trouble, cost and excitement that would result from having a second election. The Government might very well consider whether a system oE proportional voting would not be preferable to the second ballot for enabling the will of the majority to find expression at parliamentary elections.

Candidates. |A j B C D E I First count .. 8Oo! 700 600 500 400 E struck out. Votes of Bto 50 100 200 50 850 800 800 550 D struck out. Votes of D to 100. 200 250 95010001050 A struck out. Votes of Ato | 400 550 14031600 C elected.