THE NEGATIVE VOTE. [To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR. "]
SIR,—Mr. J. Parker Smith objects to a negative vote, as carrying undue influence He says, "Take the case of three candidates, A, B, 0 By allowing a voter to record a negative vote against A, you double his power, for the effect will clearly be the same as if he were able to vote both for B and for C." But the same argument may be used of a positive vote. A positive vote for A is equivalent to a negative vote against B and against C. Surely the objection is fallacious.—I am, Sir, &c.,
South/ea, Malvern, December 3rd. S. LATHAM.
[A positive vote for A is a negative vote against both B and C, when there is but one vacancy to fill up. But it is not a negative vote against both B and C when there are two vacancies to fill up. But a negative vote against A is equi- valent to a positive vote for both B and C, when there are two vacancies to fill up. And as in that case under our present system an elector would have two votes to give, undoubtedly by using one of his votes negatively and the other positively, he would exert more influence than the man who used both positively.—En. Spectator.]
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