Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Apr. 14th News Articles

Plenty of gaps on Greens' election map
By Jeff Nagel
Surrey North Delta Leader
April 14, 2009
http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/news/43006922.html

STV allows us to take control of our political future
Kamloops This Week
April 14, 2009
by Grant Fraser
http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_thompson_nicola/kamloopsthisweek/opinion/letters/42995702.html

It's in your interest to pay attention during this election
The Vancouver Sun
Tue 14 Apr 2009
Page: A18
Section: Editorial
http://www.vancouversun.com/your+interest+attention+during+this+election/1494319/story.html

Voters should support change to voting system
Nanaimo Daily News
Tue 14 Apr 2009
Byline: Dave Carter
http://www2.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/letters/story.html?id=0e8d63d5-c984-4d10-8f4f-1f3911fbf35c

STV backers ready for writ
Along with the provincial election comes an opportunity to vote on the voting system on May 12.
Langley Advance
Tue 14 Apr 2009
Page: 1 / FRONT
Byline: Heather Colpitts
http://www2.canada.com/langleyadvance/news/story.html?id=675ac5eb-d086-4518-a095-d89544123595

BC election writ drops; referendum campaigns underway
Wikinews
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/BC_election_writ_drops;_referendum_campaigns_underway?curid=124072


STV said as simple as 1, 2, 3
Supporter of proposed voting system that will be explained at meeting Wednesday night refutes criticism it's too complicated
Penticton Herald
Tue 14 Apr 2009
Page: A1 / FRONT
Section: News
Byline: John Moorhouse
Source: Penticton Herald

There's still a need for more public education about the single transferable voting system, says a backer of the Yes side in next month's referendum. Sheila MacDermott will address a public meeting on BC-STV at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Penticton United Church.

MacDermott, a former Penticton member of the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform, which was created prior to the 2005 referendum, acknowledged many electors still aren't familiar with the proposal.

"There's still confusion," she said, "but it really is a simple system to understand once you hear . . . how it works."

The assembly finished its work prior to the 2005 provincial election and has not been recalled since. However, a group known as Fair Voting B.C. (now British Columbians for BC-STV) has been formed and is actively campaigning for the Yes vote in the May 12 referendum.

On the flip side, the No BC-STV Campaign Society claims the proposed STV system is complicated and no better than the current first-past-the-post system.

The No supporters say the current system is easy to understand -- the winner is the candidate who receives the most votes. They claim STV turns that upside down with extremely complicated rules for counting the vote, in which some votes are redistributed (transferred).

MacDermott said organizers had hoped to set up a debate at Wednesday's forum, but it appears no one is available from the No side at this time.

The referendum, held in conjunction with the provincial election, asks the simple question:

"Which electoral system should British Columbia use to elect members to the provincial legislative assembly -- the existing electoral system (first-past-the-post) or the single transferable vote electoral system (BC-STV) proposed by the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform?"

During the 2005 referendum, 57.69 per cent of voters were in favour of STV. However, it failed to meet the 60 per cent threshold required to be implemented.

MacDermott said even though a referendum was held four years ago, many voters remain unsure of the details surrounding the STV proposal.

"I think people still need to learn more about it," she said. "There were people who we didn't get to last time who we certainly would like to help learn about the system and understand how it works."

MacDermott said there has been a steady decline in voter turnout in recent elections because many people feel their vote isn't reflected by who they see in the legislature.

"We need to find a system where people know that their vote really counts and really matters, and this is a system that can do that."

MacDermott refutes criticism that STV is complicated.

"It really is a very simple system to use. It's more fair in its results. It's more proportional," she said. "Presently, people can get elected with a percentage (of the popular vote) as low as 21 per cent," she said.

In most ridings, she said, the majority of voters do not want the successful candidate elected.

"The way STV works, more people can see their vote works to elect someone and they feel more represented," she said.

However, opponents to STV say in the proposed seven-MLA Capital region, a candidate would be declared elected with just 12.5 per cent of the vote, while in the Northeast, a two-MLA region, a candidate would be elected with 33.3 per cent of the vote.

The number of MLAs would remain the same as in the current system, although there would be fewer (20 compared to 85) and larger ridings, each of which would include two to seven MLAs. The proposed Okanagan-Boundary region would include three MLAs.

If approved by a majority of residents, the STV system would be implemented for the 2013 election. Both sides in the referendum campaign have been allocated $500,000 from the government to get their points of view across.

A rare opportunity
Cranbrook Daily Townsman
Tue 14 Apr 2009
Page: 6
Section: Opinion
Byline: Dave Carter

On May 12th, British Columbians will be given an opportunity (by referendum) to change our provincial voting system to the "single transferable vote" (STV) or stay with our current system "first past the post".

Ultimately the choice of voting systems on the referendum is as follows:

Current system -- "first past the post"

- Fails to accurately reflect voters' choices (percentage of votes cast is not accurately represented by seats in Government).

- Allows a minority of votes to elect majority governments.

- Restricts new parties and independent candidates from fair competition.

- Entrenches power in established political parties.

- Narrows voter choice.

System proposed by the Citizens Assembly --"single transferable vote"

- More accurately reflects voter‚s choices by seats in government.

- Ensures that majority governments are not formed without a majority of voter support.

- Allows new parties and independent candidates to fairly compete.

- Increases voter choice.

The single transferable vote (STV) is a voter empowering system. Do not expect a wave of support to come from our elected politicians in favor of STV. In Ireland where STV is used the politicians held two referendums in an effort to get rid of the STV system and both times the public voted to keep it. As more people become aware of the advantages of STV, the support for it increases.

Support this initiative for progressive change to our democratic system and vote for STV on May 12th.

Dave Carter

Castlegar

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