ANOTHER OPINION: How Bullet Voting Works

by Michael Cibik, Esq.

On Nov. 3, Philadelphia voters will elect seven at-large Members of City Council. The readers of this publication are no doubt familiar with the local process that allows us to vote for only five candidates, thereby ensuring that at least two winning candidates are not of the majority party.

In the 60 years that have passed since this process was established, the Republican Party has never won more than two at-large seats on the council. Even when Republican candidates nearly won concurrent mayoral elections in 1987 and 1999, no Republican came close to capturing a third Council seat.

That’s not to say it is impossible to win more seats; it is very possible.

However, practically, it would require bold effort from both candidates and the Republican City Committee. Because this year’s crop of Republican candidates is perhaps the most underwhelming in recent memory, no more than two of them will win. Therefore, voters will effectively decide which two Republican candidates will become – or remain – Councilmen.

Although each voter can vote for up to five candidates, they need not vote for all five, or even one. Because all five Republican candidates compete with each other for votes from the same constituency – Republican voters – those who vote for only one candidate cast the most-powerful votes. This tactic is known as “bulleting”.

Of the five Republican candidates, it is most likely that one of the two incumbents will place first when the votes are counted. Although the other incumbent is favored to place second, there is one challenger capable of capturing his seat. Which challenger that is and which councilman is favored to place first differs among observers. Whoever you believe them to be, if you want to see change in City Council, you should vote only for the candidate you believe can best deliver that change.

Mike Cibik is Republican 5^th Ward Leader.

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