On May 12, British Columbia voters voted on a ballot measure to use Single Transferable Vote when choosing the provincial legislature. It needed 60% to pass, but only received 38.82%. See this article.
On May 12, British Columbia voters voted on a ballot measure to use Single Transferable Vote when choosing the provincial legislature. It needed 60% to pass, but only received 38.82%. See this article.
A Two-Vote Electoral System Proposed
The need for electoral reform resonated with me. While the Single Transferable Vote concept was not acceptable to BC Voters, I believe it would be a mistake to give up on electoral reform. I believe first-past-the-post voting system is wrong because it allows disenfranchisement and encourages voter apathy.
I would support a simpler electoral reform, such as a Two-Vote electoral system. The province would be divided into 43 constituencies which would elect two representatives. The ballot would allow a Voter to choose their top candidate using the traditional “first-past-the-post†method, and allow a second vote for Voter’s alternative choice of a political party or identified independents. Simple rule, between your two votes, you can’t vote for the same party twice (unless you wish to register an abstention).
This simple binary voting system would not be as perfect as STV, but would result in a legislature that is more representative. Knowing you have two representatives to choose from in your constituency would encourage greater voter turnout because their votes would matter and result in increased representation.
Could you support simpler Two-Vote electoral system?
I don’t know about the “can’t vote for the same party twice”. If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool supporter of party A, why can’t you vote for both party A candidates? The parties would get around that anyway, by running 2 candidates in districts where they were strong, 1 official party candidate and 1 “independent” whom everyone would know was really with party A.
I’m not convinced overall that voter apathy is due to whether your vote matters in deciding a contest. For example, presidential election turnout is not necessarily higher in swing states than in those where the result is not in doubt.
Total Votes / Total Seats = EQUAL votes needed for each legislator. NO second vote needed.
Much too difficult for the math MORONS hyping the Droop Quota — STV stuff — to understand.
The B.C. vote is akin to the DEFEAT of the Union Army at Bull Run in July, 1861 — a threat to the survival of REAL Democracy == one of the more darker days for the survival of civilization.
The WAR for REAL Democracy continues — regardless of the math MORONS in B.C. with their hype for the somewhat complex Droop Quota.
ALL single member district schemes (U.K., Canada, U.S.A.) = half the votes in half the gerrymander districts (political concentration camps) = about 25 percent indirect minority rule — much worse in Canada with 4-5 large party hack parties = about 20 percent indirect minority rule in B.C.
Will report on the B.C. prelimary math shortly.
Mini-summary – Preliminary data 14 May 2009
85 gerrymander districts
423,514 *27.3 44 LOW LIB WIN
1,549,223 100.0 TOTAL VALID VOTES
* ANTI-Democracy minority rule percentage
Same sort of percentage math in ALL provinces in Canada and ALL State legislatures in ALL 50 States.
#4 Correction
410,249 *26.5 43 LOW LIB WIN