Resources   |   Academics   |   Life@Harvard   |   Life@Cambridge/Boston
Home > Life in Cambridge & Boston > Voting
 

Voting
On this Page:
Registering to Vote
Proportional Representation



Registering to Vote
If you are a citizen of the United States, 18 years old or older, and a resident of the state of Massachusetts (and you are, as you're a student here), you may register to vote in this state as you move into your new home. You can do so in any of the following ways:
  • Complete a mail-in registration form and send it to your city or town election office;
  • Fill out a form and hand it in while at a local election office or at a registration event anywhere in Massachusetts (such as the "MotorVoter" booths which are sometimes set up at concerts and festivals);
  • Ask to register when you are at the Registry of Motor Vehicles or other designated voter registration agency;
  • Obtain the form from the Graduate Student Council Office in Dudley House;
  • Register online.
You may choose to register with a party (Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, etc.) or be "unaffiliated" -- not to be confused with being a member of the "Independent Party."
^top of page

Proportional Representation
You will elect City Council and School Committee members by proportional representation (PR) if you live in Cambridge, the only city in the country to do so. PR is designed to ensure minority representation with minority control. As the City Hall tells us,

Any group of voters that number more than one-tenth of the total population can be sure of electing at least one member of a nine-member Council, but a majority group of voters can be sure of electing a majority of the Council. In a PR election, you may vote for as many of the candidates listed on the ballot as you wish. You must, however, indicate the order of preference among the various candidates for whom you vote.
Ballots are counted by first sorting according to the first preference on each ballot. Those receiving enough votes are declared elected, with extra ballots beyond the necessary quota redistributed to number 2 preferences. Candidates receiving the lowest number of votes are also eliminated and ballots redistributed. The process continues until all candidates are eliminated except the nine winners.
^top of page
Home > Life in Cambridge & Boston > Voting
    Resources   |   Academics   |   Life@Harvard   |   Life@Cambridge/Boston
Updated February 7, 2007.