City Adopts Preferential Vote Ballot

Ann Arbor's Election Commission today adopted a design for the city's first test of preferential voting for mayor in April. The paper ballot will have three vertical columns, one for each of the three parties. In each column will be three boxes one above the other alongside the candidates' names. The top box will be labeled "first preference," the middle box "second preference" and the bottom I box "third preference." Voters will place an "X" in the "first preference" box beside the candidate they favor first. Voters who wish to vote second and third preferences will place an "X" in the appropriate boxes beside the other candidates' ñames. A copy of the ballot will be printed in The News after the clerk's office has it in final form. The commission also decided to give voters a chance to vote straight party tickets. A circle will be placed at the top of each of. the three columns beside the name of the party. Persons wanting to vote a straight ballot need only place an "X" in that circle. Voters casting straight party ballots will still be able to vote second and third preferences for the other two candidates by placing an "X" in the proper boxes. The commission also decided to prepare and publicize a list of marking errors which could invalídate a ballot. It will emphasize that each candidate can receive only one preference from each voter. For instance, if a voter'picks one candidate as both first and second preferences, that mayoral ballot will be invalidated. Voters will be given two paper ballots at the polls. One will contain the mayoral and city council races, and the other charter amendments. The choices in the mayoral election are incumbent Republican James E. Stephenson, Democrat Albert H. Wheeler and Human Rights candidate Carol Ernst.