Apr. 15th Articles

Referendum rally for electoral reform in Chilliwack
By Robert Freeman
Chilliwack Progress
April 15, 2009
http://www.bclocalnews.com/fraser_valley/theprogress/news/43062012.html

B.C. Liberals pin campaign on economic leadership
CTV BC
Wed Apr. 15 2009
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090414/BC_election_begins_090414/20090414?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

Elections BC Voting Instructions
Westcoaster.ca
2009/4/15
http://www.westcoaster.ca/modules/AMS/article.php?storyid=6551

BC-STV
Sandra Hoffmann
Hudson’s Hope Bulletin
April 2009
http://www.dist.hudsons-hope.bc.ca/PDF/April2009Bulletin.web.pdf

Support For STV Strong
Opinion 250 (Prince George)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/12595/1/support+for+stv+strong

STV supporters on the stump
Single transferable vote system would allow voters to rank candidates in preferred order
Burnaby Now
Wed 15 Apr 2009
Byline: Christina Myers
http://www2.canada.com/burnabynow/news/story.html?id=505330a1-c3d7-41a2-9bbe-5508d23f83a8

Vote of support
North Shore News
Wed 15 Apr 2009
Page: 6
Section: Viewpoint
http://www2.canada.com/northshorenews/news/viewpoint/story.html?id=a2bb52c3-9446-44f9-be72-246ea9c08f41

STV is all about governance
Kamloops Daily News
Wed 15 Apr 2009
Page: A6
Section: Opinion
Byline: Nancy Bepple

Re: Group Uses 'Old Politics' (April 9).

The Kamloops Daily News article April 9 states that the YES BC-STV grassroots Kamloops group is advocating for a new way to do politics.

Actually, the referendum on May 12 on Single Transferable Vote is not about politics. It is about governance.

Whether or not B.C. votes yes to Single Transferable Vote, there will still be politics. Politics is the art of baby kissing, funding announcements just before elections and protests. Politics is about getting your message out and getting what you want.

Governance, as opposed to politics, is about how we make decisions. The strength in STV is that it recognizes that decision-making that includes different points of view is in the end better for everyone. STV is a form of proportional representations: it ensures a wider number of views have a voice in government.

We live in an extremely diverse society. Some of us have great strengths in business. Others understand the needs of children and seniors.

Many believe the environment is key in all decision making. Some have been in B.C. for generations. Others have just arrived. All these points of view need to be heard.

For me, the most important value in democracy is that everyone has a chance to be represented. The Single Transferable Vote allows this to happen far better than the current First Past the Post.

On May 12, I will be voting yes to STV.

Nancy Bepple

Kamloops

STV promotes democracy, says local activist
The Grand Forks Gazette
Wed 15 Apr 2009
Page: 3
Section: News
Byline: Jim Holtz
Source: The Grand Forks Gazette

Grand Forks resident David Pehota presented an overview of the Single Transferable Vote (STV) electoral system at a meeting at Grand Forks Secondary School last Wednesday evening. Adoption of the system will be decided in a referendum held at the same time as the provincial election on May 12. Pehota believes that the time for electoral change is now. "I have taken this on," Pehota said, "because I think that our democratic process as a whole is seriously dysfunctional. It is placing way too much power in the hands of the executive branch. We need to rebalance that equation; we need to hold accountable those people who wield political power."

The current system elects the candidate in a riding who collects the greatest number of votes; this number might only represent 40 per cent or less of the total votes cast. As a result, members of the legislature and indeed whole governments might be, and often are, empowered despite having more people voting against them than for them.

The main advantage of the STV system is that almost every vote would count. In the current system, if 60 per cent of voters split their votes between losing candidates, they get no representation at all. Under STV, they would still be able to elect a representative. The new riding in which Grand Forks would find itself would consist of three current ridings: Penticton, Boundary Similkameen and Westside Kelowna. It would elect three MLA's. Voters' ballots would contain all the names of all candidates running and voters would number their ballots 1, 2, 3, etc. to indicate their preference. Under STV a candidate in this riding would only need 25 percent of the total vote. Once that percentage had been achieved, that person would be deemed elected and the vote counting continued until the next person achieved 25 per cent. After all the first choice votes have been counted, if three candidates have not yet received 25 percent, then second choices are tallied, then third and so on. Every vote counts.

The STV system would divide the province into 20 electoral districts, each containing from two to seven members of the legislature, depending on the population of the district. A traditional party might run two or even three candidates, hoping that all would be elected. As Pehota pointed out, however, that might be risky.

"Of course, you don't want to run too many candidates because it may split the vote in a multi-member constituency." For more information visit STV.ca on the Internet.

The Coalition, BC-STV and next steps for the Left
By Dave Meslin
Blog: Rabble.ca
April 15, 2009
http://rabble.ca/news/2009/04/coalition-bc-stv-and-next-steps-left

Thoughts On STV - Why I Support It
By Leonard
Blog: Stand Your Ground
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
http://forlifeandfamily.blogspot.com/2009/04/thoughts-on-stv-why-i-support-it.html