Aldermen discuss possible change for open seats

By Andrea Gregory

The primary election is over and the city is preparing to vote one more time to fill a vacant city for alderman-at-large. However, one board member said officials should start talking about possibly skipping a stop at the polls next time a vacancy opens up. 

The proposal came from William A. White, alderman-at-large, and has been sent to the legislative matters committee for review. The idea is to have the fifth place candidate in the regular election to fill a vacancy if one appears. It would take a charter change, requiring the assistance of the state legislature, and it could end up as a question on a citywide ballot to see how voters feel.

White said he was approaching the process from a financial standpoint when he asked his fellow aldermen to review the process.  “I proposed discussing it,” said White.

White said voter turnout tends to be low during citywide special elections. Last week, only 11 percent of registered voters showed up at the polls.  Also, he mentioned filling the vacancy is costing the city more than $100,000.

“Is there a more cost-effective way?” said White.

Giving the job to the fifth place winner would seem to save money, said White. A vacant ward alderman seat would still go through the election process since ward races tend to bring a higher percentage of voters to the polls, and a ward election is less expensive.

However, giving the title of alderman-at-large to the fifth place finisher is not sitting well with Alderman President Robert C. Trane.  “I don’t favor anything that disenfranchises a voter,” said Trane.

Marty Martinez, who finished first in the recent primary election, was the fifth place candidate in November 2005. Trane said coming in fifth does not necessarily mean a candidate should be next inline to join the board.

“In the last election, 1,7000 people opposed giving it to the fifth place finisher,” said Trane, counting the number of votes that went sixth and seventh place candidates.
“I don’t see a push to make this change,” said Trane, noting even if the board were to go forward with White’s suggestion, it would take two to four years for it to go into effect.

It is not common for an alderman-at-large seat to open up. The last time the city was in this situation was decades ago.

The seat that is currently up for grabs opened when Denise Provost quit the Board of Aldermen to concentrate on her newly elected role as a state representative. The board has been running one alderman short since last fall.

Comments

[Let the People Vote!]

This is an insane proposal, and I fear Bill WHite is beginning to cater to the progressives, possibly looking for their support. When it comes to Alderman-at-large seats, my feeling would be if you don't want an election, I'd rather see it vacant till the next regular election. This seat has been vacant since November already. And I agree with Trane...there is a reason that someone came in 5th, rather than 4th.....the people didn't choose the candidate. What if the 5th place finisher was not a serious candidate and received only several hundred votes? What if the last time there was a contested election was 10 years ago, and things have changed dramatically? There could be new information about the prior candidate that would make them unsuitable. This is coming from the same progressive camp that is also advocating for 'instant run off voting', also a bizarre form of 'points' which eliminates a preliminary election.

[Somerspeak]

If this were one of Bob Trane's friends that came in fifth place, the Alderman from Ward 7 would be front and center waving the flag for this proposal. As it stands, White's proposal may have some validity. Why not take a look at it?

If memory serves me, Trane and his cohorts on the Board were the ones howling about Provost's decision to resign her seat and how it was going to cost the City big money for a special election. Blame the "Progressives" he probably said to many voters. Can't have it both ways, Bob.

May I suggest that Trane at least be respectfull enough to take a look at the proposal, think about it and then he can give all of us a lesson in the democratic process.

[Get]

All the money that is being wasted and they say "To hell with Democracy" are they getting scared that some people might just not vote for them? Come on Tom Tom Taylor you gave Joey Cakes more lets see you stand up for DEMOCRACY! or is there nothing in it for you, you got in due to a special when you beat Shelia did you not? Lets hear it TOM TOM.

[Ron Newman]

I haven't decided whether I like this proposal or not, but I'll point out that this is how at-large vacancies are filled in Boston.

[Derek]

Have any of these guys ever heard of an instant run-off? Sheesh...

[Truth Fan]

Isn't the current system one in which there is a special election if more than a year remains in a term, but the Board of Aldermen appoints a successor if there is less than a year? If so, it seems to me that it would be good to leave the 1 year + altnernative as it is. But wouldn't White's proposal be more demoncratic than the -1 year alternative?

[Ron Newman]

Almost correct -- there's a special election if more than a year remains before the next regular election. Otherwise there is an appointment.

I don't know whether White's proposal changes both parts of this, or just the first part.

[Ron]

I agree with you Bob, I'm back in the area. I'm with you when it comes time to vote. Don't pay attention to these moon bats, they want to take over but they never will. Fight the progressives, I am a friend of Bob Trane (Ward7).