Editing Hamilton, Ohio (section)

==Government==
{{see also|List of mayors of Hamilton, Ohio}}
[[File:ButlerCountyCourthouseNorthFace02.jpg|thumb|[[Butler County Courthouse (Ohio)|Butler County Courthouse]], 2015]]
Hamilton City Council consists of seven members who are elected in non-partisan elections at staggered intervals and serve four-year terms. They elect a mayor within the council, and together select and appoint a professional city manager to operate the city. Operating as the legislative branch of the city, the Council provides policy direction to the City Manager.<ref name="citymanager"/> The judge of the municipal court is also an elected official.<ref name="citymanager"/> The City Manager operates as chief executive officer, directing a workforce of more than 675 permanent employees and a $400+ million budget. The city also maintains a Public Safety Director for the city, responsible for police protection, staffed by more than 110 full-time professionals, and fire protection, staffed by more than 110 full-time fire fighters.<ref name="govt">[https://www.hamilton-oh.gov/city-managers-office "City Manager's Office"], Hamilton City website, accessed March 30, 2015</ref>

The current mayor of Hamilton is Patrick Moeller and the city manager is Craig R. Bucheit.<ref name="citymanager">{{cite web |title=City Manager’s Office |url=https://www.hamilton-oh.gov/city-managers-office |website=City of Hamilton, OH |access-date=6 May 2025}}</ref>

The city's [[council-manager government]] was established in 1926, based then on election by [[proportional representation]] with a single transferable vote.<ref name="pr">[[Kathleen L. Barber]], [https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/polit/damy/OrderDesk/barber.htm ''PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION AND ELECTION REFORM IN OHIO'' (excerpt)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502102136/https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/polit/damy/OrderDesk/barber.htm |date=May 2, 2015 }}, Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1995, pp. Introduction</ref> This system was developed to try to meet the rapidly changing needs of cities with their growing immigrant populations. "The [[PR STV]] ballot allows voters to rank order their choices in either at-large or multimember district elections. With each ballot ultimately counting toward the election of one candidate, voters' preferences can be transferred to second or subsequent choices if their most preferred candidate is already elected or has no chance of election, thus maximizing the proportion of effective votes and permitting minorities to win their share of seats."<ref name="pr"/>

Hamilton was one of several major Ohio cities that adopted the single transferable vote form of elections in the early 20th century; [[Ashtabula, Ohio|Ashtabula]] was the first in 1915. This system was considered more progressive than plurality voting, with winner take all, and the [[at-large]] election system found in some cities, which also benefited the majority and generally succeeded in preventing minorities from gaining office. Use of single transferable vote resulted in more minorities, including women, being able to enter politics and attain positions on city councils which they likely otherwise would not have gained in at-large voting.<ref name="pr"/>  Under the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]], a significant minority is that representing 5% or more of the population.

The success of single transferable vote nationally led to a political backlash from bosses and parties that lost power. In Hamilton, opponents mounted numerous campaigns to repeal the charter, finally succeeding after four failed referendums in 12 years.<ref name="amy"/> Since the city of Hamilton returned to plurality voting, the African-American minority has less frequently been able to win seats on the council.<ref name="amy">[https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/polit/damy/articles/Brief%20History%20of%20PR.htm Douglas J. Amy, "A Brief History of Proportional Representation in the United States"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140916114636/https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/polit/damy/articles/Brief%20History%20of%20PR.htm |date=September 16, 2014 }}, revised version of "The Forgotten History of the Single Transferable Vote in the United States," in ''Representation'' 34, number 1 (Winter 1996/7), accessed March 30, 2015</ref> In 2015, however, city council members include two women (white) and an African-American man; other members are white males.<ref name="govt"/>