Belin v. Secretary of the Commonwealth

The petitioners, residents, taxpayers, and duly registered voters in Cambridge, have petitioned for a writ of mandamus. The facts are not in dispute.

Cambridge has a Plan E form of government conformable to G. L. c. 43, §§ 93-116, as amended, and is the only city or town in the Commonwealth where officers are elected by proportional representation or preferential voting. The respondent was in the process of preparing a question contained in St. 1972, c. 596, § 3, to be placed on the official ballot for the November 7, 1972, biennial State election in Cambridge. The question described in § 3…