get your vote on!

May 12, 2009 is the date set for the Referendum on Electoral Reform. It is taking place at the same time as the general election. The referendum asks voters this question:

“Which electoral system should British Columbia use to elect members to the provincial Legislative Assembly?”

The existing electoral system (First-Past-The-Post)

The single transferable vote electoral system (BC-STV) proposed by the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform

How BC-STV Works

A new map

Each region has the same number of MLAs as in the current first past the post system, but they are grouped together into 20 multi-member districts across the province.

So, for example, there will be four MLAs who represent the Kootenays as a whole, instead of one MLA for Nelson-Creston, another MLA for Cranbrook etc.

Why does BC-STV do this? In order to give as many voters as possible an MLA they voted for.

In our current flawed first past the post system only 40-50% of voters have an MLA they voted for. With BC-STV 80-90% of voters will get an MLA they voted for. Multiple views represented, multiple communities represented.

A new way to vote

On the ballot, voters can rank as many candidates as they like - as easy as 1,2,3. Voters decide which candidate best represents their chosen party. They can even vote for candidates from several different parties, or for an independent.

Political parties hoping to win more than one seat will have put forward a diverse slate of candidates to maximize their appeal with voters.

STV allows voters to ‘spend’ their vote efficiently. If our first choice is least popular and is eliminated, our vote goes to our next choice. If less than our whole vote is needed, then we get “change” to spend on our next choice.

A new map and a new way to vote. Two changes that will give the people of BC the type of politics that they asked for.