An unofficial count of "number one" votes cast in Tuesday's election suggests that four progressives endorsed by the Cambridge Civic Association (CCA) and liberal Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72 will retain control of the Cambridge City Council.

Despite disappointing voter turnout in traditional CCA strongholds, yesterday's preliminary count shows that Reeves and CCA-endorsed candidates received about half of the 19,150 votes cast, an increase of two percent over the 1993 election.

"I'm gone from gloom and doom to pleasant surprise," said CCA President Geneva T. Malenfant.

Conservative James J. McSweeney Jr. is presently in ninth place with 1,243 votes, and a 42 vote lead over school committee member and CCA-endorsed candidate Henrietta A. Davis.

But since CCA supporters tend to vote for an entire slate of progressives, many feel the transfer of votes will catapult Davis into the seat held by retiring Councillor Jonathan S. Myers.

"I think the countouts will make Davis leapfrog over McSweeney," said former CCA President R. Philip Dowds.

Reeves, Councillor Francis H. Duehay '55 and Councillor Anthony D. Galluccio each are assured a seat on the council, as the candidates exceeded a "quota" of 1,884 votes.

Cambridge's proportional voting system takes votes from candidates who have exceeded the quota and transfers them to the next preferred candidate on the ballot.

Votes are also transferred from candidates whose low total of number one votes gives them no chance of election.

Reeves led all candidates with 2,261 number one votes. Duehay received 2,078 votes and Galluccio received 2,033.

All votes in excess of the 1,884-vote quota will be transferred.

Transfers from Reeves and Duehay will likely benefit other CCA-endorsed candidates, including Councillor Kathleen L. Born, who placed fifth with 1,716 votes, Councillor Katherine Triantafillou, who placed eighth with 1,389 votes and Davis.

John McGuire, a Reeves campaign volunteer, predicted that these transfers would not help McSweeney, because he "does not reflect the attitude of Reeves or Duehay by any measure."

Galluccio's transfer votes will probably help McSweeney and the incumbent conservative candidates, including Councillor Sheila T. Russell, Councillor Michael A. Sullivan and Councillor Timothy J. Toomey Jr.

Russell is in fourth place with 1,774 votes, Sullivan is in fifth place with 1,691 votes and Toomey is sixth with 1,607 votes.

"Out of the surpluses, Galluccio will feed McSweeney and Duehay will feed Davis," said former Cambridge Mayor Alice K. Wolf. "I don't see McSweeney picking up much from Reeves."