Incumbents Retain Seats

Cambridge political underdogs gripe that the "P.R." of proportional representation might as well stand for perpetual re-election.

And Councillor Edward N. Cyr--the only incumbent whose re-election bid failed this year--may be the exception that proves the rule.

Seats on the City Council and School Committee generally went to incumbents, and when the new representatives take office on January 3, the balance of power between liberals and conservatives in the city will remain exactly the same as it is now.

The progressive Cambridge Civic Association (CCA) kept its five-to-four majority over the more conservative Independents on the Cambridge City Council, while the School Committee is once again evenly split between the two camps.

The Independents, who lost their majority on the City Council four years ago, will be represented on the next council by incumbents Sheila T. Russell, Timothy J. Toomey and William H. Walsh, as well as by newcomer Michael A. Sullivan.

When young Sullivan enters City Hall's Sullivan Chambers, he will be following in the footsteps of his father, uncle and grandfather, who have all served on the council. His father, Walter J. Sullivan, served on the council for 34 years and decided this year not to seek re-election.

It is not clear what will happen if Walsh, who has been indicted on 59 counts of bank fraud and conspiracy, is convicted. Under the law, he could continue to serve on the council until he is sentenced.

The CCA-endorsed councillors are incumbents Francis H. Duehay '55, Jonathan S. Myers and Kenneth E. Reeves '72 and newcomers Kathleen L. Born and Katherine Triantafillou.

Political observers say Born and Triantafillou likely benefited from the vote that would have gone to CCA-endorsed Councillor Alice K. Wolf had she soughtre-election. Wolf garnered the most votes in the1991 election, and her absence this year left avoid for progressive women.

Both sides agree that when push came to shove,the system of proportional representation gave theCCA an extra edge in the City Council race.

Proportional representation, the form ofballoting used in Cambridge, allows citizens torank their choice of candidates. Initially, onlyeach person's first-choice vote is counted.

Once a candidate surpasses the quota of votesneeded to be elected--a figure derived bymathematical formula and based on the numbers ofcandidates and votes cast--that candidate's excessvotes are transferred to the second choices listedon randomly selected ballots. The votes ofcandidates at the bottom of the heap aretransferred in much the same way.

Traditionally, people who list a CCA-endorsedcandidate as their first choice usually list otherprogressive candidates as their other choices.People who list an Independent as first choicetend to list a wider variety of candidates asalternate choices.

Cambridge Alliance President William J.Zamparelli said voters often don't realize thatalthough they number several choices on theirballots, their vote will count for only onecandidate in the end.

But CCA President R. Philip Dowds said votesfor certain Independents were transferred tocandidates endorsed by the CCA because voters"recognized slates that didn't work" and would notsupport every Independent candidate just becausethey liked some of them.

Since the CCA has the majority on the new CityCouncil, they will likely choose an incumbent fromtheir own ranks to serve as mayor. This means thateither Duehay, Reeves or Myers will likely holdthe top spot next year.

The next School Committee is composed of thefour incumbents who sought reelection--twoIndependents and two CCA-endorsed--as well as onenewcomer from each political camp. The mayor, asthe chair and seventh member of the committee,will likely sway the otherwise balanced group tothe left.

The CCA-endorsed School Committeerepresentatives are incumbents Henrietta Davis andDenise Simmons and newcomer Robin A. Harris.

The Independents are incumbents David P. Maherand Alfred B. Fantini and newcomer Joseph G.Grassi.William H. Walsh, Independent

Both sides agree that when push came to shove,the system of proportional representation gave theCCA an extra edge in the City Council race.

Proportional representation, the form ofballoting used in Cambridge, allows citizens torank their choice of candidates. Initially, onlyeach person's first-choice vote is counted.

Once a candidate surpasses the quota of votesneeded to be elected--a figure derived bymathematical formula and based on the numbers ofcandidates and votes cast--that candidate's excessvotes are transferred to the second choices listedon randomly selected ballots. The votes ofcandidates at the bottom of the heap aretransferred in much the same way.

Traditionally, people who list a CCA-endorsedcandidate as their first choice usually list otherprogressive candidates as their other choices.People who list an Independent as first choicetend to list a wider variety of candidates asalternate choices.

Cambridge Alliance President William J.Zamparelli said voters often don't realize thatalthough they number several choices on theirballots, their vote will count for only onecandidate in the end.

But CCA President R. Philip Dowds said votesfor certain Independents were transferred tocandidates endorsed by the CCA because voters"recognized slates that didn't work" and would notsupport every Independent candidate just becausethey liked some of them.

Since the CCA has the majority on the new CityCouncil, they will likely choose an incumbent fromtheir own ranks to serve as mayor. This means thateither Duehay, Reeves or Myers will likely holdthe top spot next year.

The next School Committee is composed of thefour incumbents who sought reelection--twoIndependents and two CCA-endorsed--as well as onenewcomer from each political camp. The mayor, asthe chair and seventh member of the committee,will likely sway the otherwise balanced group tothe left.

The CCA-endorsed School Committeerepresentatives are incumbents Henrietta Davis andDenise Simmons and newcomer Robin A. Harris.

The Independents are incumbents David P. Maherand Alfred B. Fantini and newcomer Joseph G.Grassi.William H. Walsh, Independent