Council Braces for Long Fight In Balloting for New City Mayor

A long struggle for the Cambridge mayoralty appeared to be in the making yesterday as the City Council failed for the second day in a row to elect one of its members to the office.

After reaching a 4-4-1 impasse among the incumbent, Edward A. Crane '35, councillor Alfred E. Vellucci, and Councillor Daniel J. Hayes, Jr., the Council to 4:30 p.m. Monday, when it will hold its fourth ballot. The first two , taken Monday, were also tied between Vellucci and Crane.

Lengthy battles in mayoralty elections are not unknown to the Council. In 1947, or example, four months and more than 1600 ballots passed before it was able to come to a decision.

Vellucci Pro Sua

At yesterday's meeting four independent Councillors continued to put the pressure on Vellucci. The four first voted for Councillor Walter J. Sullivan. When Vellucci voted for himself, however, three of the independents changed their ballots in favor of Vellucci.

The fourth independent, Andrew T. Trodden, also changed his vote, but from Sullivan to Hayes, not from Sullivan to Vellucci. All the Cambridge Civic Association-backed candidates on the Council supported Crane as they had on the two earlier ballots.

CCA Backs Crane

The independent choice for mayor seems to be Sullivan. On both the first ballot Monday morning and yesterday's ballot, the four independents lined up solidly behind him, apparently hoping that Vellucci, also an independent Councillor, would switch his vote.

Vellucci contends, however, that because he is senior to the other independents, he should be their choice for the office. As a result, he has refused to back another independent candidate. In the 1960 and 1962 elections, he broke 4-4 ties with votes for the CCA candidate Crane.

Yesterday's meeting lasted only five minutes. After convening more than a half as hour late at 8:03 p.m. the session was adjourned following the vote at 8:03 p.m. on a motion by Sullivan.

Lengthy battles in mayoralty elections are not unknown to the Council. In 1947, or example, four months and more than 1600 ballots passed before it was able to come to a decision.

Vellucci Pro Sua

At yesterday's meeting four independent Councillors continued to put the pressure on Vellucci. The four first voted for Councillor Walter J. Sullivan. When Vellucci voted for himself, however, three of the independents changed their ballots in favor of Vellucci.

The fourth independent, Andrew T. Trodden, also changed his vote, but from Sullivan to Hayes, not from Sullivan to Vellucci. All the Cambridge Civic Association-backed candidates on the Council supported Crane as they had on the two earlier ballots.

CCA Backs Crane

The independent choice for mayor seems to be Sullivan. On both the first ballot Monday morning and yesterday's ballot, the four independents lined up solidly behind him, apparently hoping that Vellucci, also an independent Councillor, would switch his vote.

Vellucci contends, however, that because he is senior to the other independents, he should be their choice for the office. As a result, he has refused to back another independent candidate. In the 1960 and 1962 elections, he broke 4-4 ties with votes for the CCA candidate Crane.

Yesterday's meeting lasted only five minutes. After convening more than a half as hour late at 8:03 p.m. the session was adjourned following the vote at 8:03 p.m. on a motion by Sullivan.