Loose ends from March

STV puts power in voter's hands
Maple Ridge News
Tue 31 Mar 2009
Section: Letters
http://www.bclocalnews.com/tri_city_maple_ridge/mapleridgenews/opinion/letters/42222802.html

Learn about STV - B.C.'s proposed new voting system
Surrey North Delta Leader
Tue 31 Mar 2009
Page: 1
Section: Election
http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/news/election/Learn_about_STV__BCs_proposed_new_voting_system.html

Don't be fooled by smoke and mirrors
Nelson Daily News
Tue 31 Mar 2009
Page: 7
Section: Editorial
Byline: Sjeng Derkx

To the Editor:

The NDN of Monday March 23, calls Bill Tielemans' small group of former party hacks 'the no side' in the upcoming referendum, but voting 'no' is actually not one of the options.

On May 12 we can vote either FOR the 'Single Transferable Vote' (STV) or FOR the current 'First Past the Post' (FPTP) system.

Tielemans' group has been given half a million of our tax dollars to promote voting for FPTP, but they realize that they cannot successfully defend that outdated system. Instead they attack STV and try to make you believe that if you vote for FPTP, you don't vote for FPTP, but for some imaginary future 'better' voting system.

Unfortunately, that's just not how things work. If you vote for FPTP you vote for keeping false majorities, wasted votes, strategic voting, ever lower voter turnout and minimal political accountability.

No voting system is perfect, but a vote for STV supports maintaining local representation, fair, proportional election results, and greatly improved voter choice.

Don't let Tielemans' smoke and mirrors confuse you. If FPTP wins the May 12 referendum, we will be stuck with that broken system for the foreseeable future. If you want positive democratic change, your vote should go to STV.

Sjeng Derkx,

Nelson, B.C.

BC-STV will be incremental step backward
By David S. Dunaway
Nanaimo Bulletin
March 30, 2009
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/nanaimonewsbulletin/opinion/letters/42152487.html

Should we vote yes or no
Vanderhoof Omineca Express
Mon 30 Mar 2009
by Bill Phillips
http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/ominecaexpress/news/election/42157437.html

STV education campaign pushed
Parksville Qualicum Beach News
Mon 30 Mar 2009
Byline: Neil Horner
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/parksville_qualicumbeachnews/news/42148577.html

Lake open house to promote May 12 single transferable vote
Lake Cowichan Gazette
Mon 30 Mar 2009
Byline: Doug Marner
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/lakecowichangazette/community/42160712.html

No need to fear STV system
Nelson Daily News
Thu 26 Mar 2009
Page: 7
Section: Editorial
Byline: Alan Dodsworth

To the Editor:

I was surprised when I opened up the March 23 edition of the Nelson Daily News and read a headline on page 3 that stated: "STV would be a disaster." Was this a news story, or an editorial statement? While I read on, I'm sure many didn't. "STV not the system" proclaimed the headline on page 11.

Having read the article, I am left with the impression that the NO side's biggest concern is that the STV is confusing and complicated. Electoral reform, like the world we live in, is a complex issue. It is an issue we could argue about for the next 20 years. In the meantime, the "first past the post system" continues to allow ideology to trump the interests of our own and future generations.

I guess when we've finished messing up the planet, we'll just have to explain to our grandchildren that we were just too confused to do anything about it.

Alan Dodsworth,

Nelson, B.C.

Current system lets voters down
Richmond Review
Thu 26 Mar 2009
Page: 11
Section: Opinion
http://www.bclocalnews.com/richmond_southdelta/richmondreview/opinion/letters/41853172.html

Peninsula News Review
Thu 26 Mar 2009
Page: 0007
Section: Opinion
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/peninsulanewsreview/opinion/letters/41923112.html

Reasons for voting 'yes'
Prince George Free Press
Thu 26 Mar 2009
Page: 00B8
Section: Election
http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/pgfreepress/news/election/41937737.html

An advocate of STV...
Prince Rupert Daily News
Thu 26 Mar 2009
Page: 4
Section: Opinion & Letters
Byline: Heather Sones

Dear Editor,

Thank you for your articles increasing awareness of the May 12th BC-Single Transferable Vote referendum. It is time for a system that promotes greater voter choice, fairer results, and MLA's with more incentive to represent constituents. That is why 58 % of British Columbians voted for BC-STV in the 2005 referendum, just 2% short of the 60% needed.

BC-STV will allow the legislature in Victoria to better reflect the political diversity of the province. For years BC has been subject to huge policy swings every time the government has changed. BC-STV will create greater stability. Politicians will need to do more consensus building for the common good.

While increasing stability, BC-STV will also allow more rapid change when necessary. Voters will not feel compelled to choose between the two parties traditionally mostly likely to win. They can vote for the candidate they truly wish to vote for, without worrying their vote will be wasted. If their first choice isn't elected, their vote will automatically go to their second choice, and so on.

Northern voters should realize the north's level of representation in Victoria will not change relative to the level in the south. BC-STV does require the clumping of ridings into multi-MLA districts, however. Because northern ridings are geographically larger, there will not as many ridings per clump (district) as in the south. Our new BC voting district will be the size of our federal riding (currently represented by only one MP in Ottawa, Nathan Cullen). Our district will be able to elect three MLA's to the legislature Victoria, however, not just one.

For those wanting clarification of the vote counting process, there is a helpful animation on the website stv.ca. STV has been used in Ireland since the 1920's, so the process is quite manageable. Twice the Irish have voted by referendum to keep the system they love.

Most of the top twenty democratic countries, as rated by the Human Development Index, have some form of proportional representation. BC-STV is one form of proportional representation, recommended by 147 out of the 160 members of the Citizen's Assembly in 2005. Both the Liberals and NDP supported appointment of the Assembly, consisting of 160 randomly selected British Columbians. These people spent 11 months learning about different voting systems and listening to people throughout the province. "Rural" members were slightly more in favour of BC-STV than those from the lower mainland.

Politicians do not usually wish to change the system by which they were elected, so this referendum is a rare and precious opportunity.

- Heather Sones, Fair Voting B.C. volunteer

Referendum is more important that election
Nanaimo Daily News
Tue 24 Mar 2009
Page: A10
Section: Ours & Yours
Byline: Jordan Ellis
http://www2.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/news/upfront/story.html?id=0091f10f-fab0-4e2a-92c2-140e96b2843b

Be informed about STV
Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Times
Tue 24 Mar 2009
Page: 8
Section: Opinion
http://www2.canada.com/mapleridgetimes/news/opinion/story.html?id=faf49602-2482-451c-afb6-ba45d4a526c3

Learn about STV voting system
Comox Valley Echo
Tue 24 Mar 2009
Page: A10
Section: Community
http://www2.canada.com/comoxvalleyecho/news/community/story.html?id=5b6afe1a-4116-47f8-be35-6ee03aebefd9

More information on STV is needed
by F. H. Horner
PQB News
March 23, 2009
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/parksville_qualicumbeachnews/opinion/letters/41704222.html

If the Liberals are the majority, what's stopping them?
New Westminster News Leader
Fri 20 Mar 2009
Page: 7
Section: Opinion
http://www.bclocalnews.com/greater_vancouver/newwestminsternewsleader/opinion/letters/41604857.html