Since all candidates run city-wide under the PR system, candidates must focus on issues and ideas, King says.

PR was developed in Europe in the 19th century as an electoral system that would ensure minority representation in government. Candidates do not need to receive a majority of votes to win an election, just a smaller quota. Philosopher John Stuart Mill was a great advocate of the system.

Cambridge adopted PR in 1942, not to ensure the representation of minority views, but to reform a corrupt city government.

"City government [had] turned into a circus of self-dealing and political hackdom," says Reeves.

But many complain that PR in Cambridge does not achieve the system's 19th century goal, arguing that a plurality of views is still not represented on the council.

"Parts of the city are virtually disenfranchised," says King.

"I don't think [comprehensive representation] happens at all. I think you have large underrepresented portions of the city," says former city council candidate and Cambridge political observer Lester E. Lee, Jr., pointing to the absence of a city councillor from the economically depressed Area 4.

"Most city councillors are from west of Harvard Square," Lee adds.

Sullivan defends the system, pointing out that for the PR to work, people have to vote.

"Unfortunately, people in Area 4 don't vote. Turnout is low and the system reflects that. I'm not sure it's the system's fault," says Sullivan.

Reeves says, however, that city councillor's home neighborhoods are unimportant to the people they represent. He says that he does not live in the same neighborhood as his constituency.

"I represent one-tenth of the people wherever they are," says Reeves.

Many, however, believe that PR has been [crucial] in maintaining non-white member on the Council for decades.

"I don't think [the election of Blacks to the council] would happen in a city-wide [plurality] election," says Sullivan, pointing to the dismal chances of a Black being elected to Boston's city council despite the fact that it has a larger Black population. Eight of Boston's city councilors are elected through their wards, four are elected city-wide.

Lee also says that with slate voting, the city has become divided into two political campus--CCA candidates and independents." "Politics in the city revolve around that cleavage," he says.

Of course, in the end, as with all political systems, many candidate's faith in PR depends upon their success.

"If you're a loser, you think it doesn't work, if you're a winner, you think it does," says Spartichino.