New Yorkers elected their City Council under the single transferable vote (STV), 1937-45. Council voted in June 1945 to extend its own term from two to four years. The next STV election would have been in 1949, but the system was repealed by referendum in November 1947.
Cynthia Terrell asks, “Can you tell me what the highest number of women elected at the same time was under PR in NYC? And what year?” The answer is three, in 1941. Here is a list of all women who served.
November 1937
• Genevieve Earle (Fusion, Minority Leader on death of Baruch Charney Vladeck)
November 1939
• Genevieve Earle (Fusion and Citizens’ Non-Partisan, Minority Leader)
November 1941
• Rita Casey (Democratic)
• Genevieve Earle (Fusion and Citizens’ Non-Partisan, Minority Leader)
• Gertrude Weil Klein (American Labor)
November 1943
• Genevieve Earle (Republican and Citizens’ Non-Partisan, Minority Leader)
• Gertrude Weil Klein (American Labor)
November 1945
• Genevieve Earle (Republican and Citizens’ Non-Partisan, Minority Leader)
• Mae V. Gallis (Democratic, appointed to serve in place of James A. Phillips, pending special election in November 1947)*
• Bertha Schwartz (Democratic)
Source for featured image: NYC Campaign Finance Board.