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Fourth, the winner of the election ought to have received a majority of the votes cast. (While this is not necessary for a legitimate election, it is certainly a desirably outcome and the reason the city conducts a primary election when there are more than two candidates for a position.) At least as it is presently structured, the current proposal for a special election doesn't meet these criteria. First, voters, don"t have the same opportunity to vote in the special election Elections held at a time other than the normal time for elections, the fall, are going to exclude a number of eligible voters. A historic reason for fall elections was that the fall was the time when a largely agrarian society was best able to participate. The fall is still the best time for an election. People have returned from summer vacations. Children are back in school. People who winter in a warm climate have not yet left the state. Our attention has not yet turned to the busy holiday season. Most importantly, it is the time of year when voters expect elections. A special election held at any other time of the year is going to limit participation. A special election held during the summer will b�e held at a time when many families are vacationing and out of town. A special election held in the winter is going to exclude many of our older voters who are wintering elsewhere. A special election held at any time other than the fall is going to mean that many citizens, who would otherwise participate, are going to b�e unaware that there even is an election. One of the arguments advanced by proponents of even year elections was that voter turnout was lower in the odd year. This is true, turnout was lower in odd year elections. However, at least voters knew to expect an election. If the numbers of voters was not as high as even year elections, there were still regular elections that people could count on. Holding special elections at other times of the year is going to drive voter participation even lower than the levels of participation found in odd year elections, participation levels which many people argued at that time was unacceptable. Second, under the current proposal candidates, may not have an adequate amount of time to introduce themselves, to voters,, How are candidates going to make themselves known in only ten weeks? There is simply no way that candidates can launch an effective campaign in ten weeks. Good campaigns K