Municipal elections in Cambridge are not known for being the most easy to understand voting system. To begin with, rather than the traditional winner-takes-all system that dominates U.S. representative democracy, Cambridge is one of the few cities in the country that uses a system of Proportional Representation (PR) where voters rank the candidates in the order they would like to see them elected to the City Council or School Committee. The votes are then counted in rounds, and whenever a particular candidate reaches a pre-determined quota, they are elected. In each round, the lowest vote-getter is dropped and their remaining votes are distributed to the voter's next choice. This method continues until all 9 at-large City Council seats (or the 6 School Committee seats) are filled.
While technology has sped up elections processes in the contermporary U.S. (for better or for worse), this system has made Cambridge one of the last municipalities in the Commonwealth to certify its local elections. Bostonist has even heard legend of the first election under this system when in 1941 over 70 candidates were on the ballot which took months to certify.
Whether the legend is true or not the fact is Cambridge municipal elections have the potential to be quite confusing, especially since in this city of 100,000 people just 9% have voted in the last three city elections.
But now, the candidates themselves really aren't making it any easier for those brave voters who dare tackle this system. According to Rob Winter's Cambridge Civic Journal as well as the Cambridge Chronicle, two candidates with almost the exact same name have pulled papers to run for City Council. That is, Sam Seidel of Maple Street who is a founding member of the Progressive Democrats of Cambridge, versus Sam Seidel of Jackson Street (no web page found) who by some reports is flirting with the Green Party. The question on many Cambridge election observers now is: what the hell do we do? As Rob Winters points out:
On the one hand, Sam and Sam might worry about their #1 votes going to the other Sam. On the other hand, name recognition will soar.
Furthermore, one life long Cantabrigian and long-time activist suggested to Bostonist recently that if just one Seidel wins election, it could possibly lead to legal challenges in what is otherwise a relatively civil Cambridge political system.
Luckily the Sam of Jackson Street who pulled papers later seemed to recognize the potential of confusion and will be listed on the ballot with his middle name: Sam Lover Seidel.
Bostonist hears that Boston Councilor Maura Hennigan caught wind of this North-of-the-Charles confusion and in an attempt to revive her long-shot, gimmicy campaign for Mayor has decided to legally change her name to "Thomas Hater Menino."
Photos courtesy of the Cambridge Chronicle.
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