For the record, Carney’s new Minister of Democratic Institutions is a supporter of electoral reform. This is a really good time to be pushing for this, because we’ve clearly got allies at the top.
Contact your MPs, tell them how important electoral reform is to you.
An Alternative Vote system does not solve the major issues of First-Past-The-Post, and can still have wildly distorted outcomes relative to vote preferences. Unless combined with multi-member districts (aka Single Transferable Vote) it’s barely/not an improvement for Canada – it’s a convenient option for the largest parties because it rarely makes a difference to the outcome and the votes all trickle back to them anyway, so they can make a change without making a change.
The only desirable outcome of electoral reform is one which introduces at least a degree of proportionality – Single Transferable Vote if you’re really itching for a ranked ballot, or Mixed-Member Proportional Representation otherwise (my preference - but either would be a great improvement).
I’ve used single transferrable vote, and it’s a genuinely fantastic system. You still get to vote in specific MPs, not just parties as a whole, and it does an excellent job of ensuring democratic outcomes. And despite fearmongering about it being “complicated” it just plain isn’t; you list your choices in order of preference. That’s it, that’s the whole system.
That’s because of our voting system. This kind of system inevitably results in two parties against each other.
CGP grey has a really good video on it
Also one about the alternative vote
For the record, Carney’s new Minister of Democratic Institutions is a supporter of electoral reform. This is a really good time to be pushing for this, because we’ve clearly got allies at the top.
Contact your MPs, tell them how important electoral reform is to you.
Fuck ya! Maybe now is the time to dig out that letter I started writing about it last year.
An Alternative Vote system does not solve the major issues of First-Past-The-Post, and can still have wildly distorted outcomes relative to vote preferences. Unless combined with multi-member districts (aka Single Transferable Vote) it’s barely/not an improvement for Canada – it’s a convenient option for the largest parties because it rarely makes a difference to the outcome and the votes all trickle back to them anyway, so they can make a change without making a change.
Here’s an article worth reading. https://www.fairvote.ca/expert-dennis-pilon-sets-the-record-straight-about-the-alternative-vote/
The only desirable outcome of electoral reform is one which introduces at least a degree of proportionality – Single Transferable Vote if you’re really itching for a ranked ballot, or Mixed-Member Proportional Representation otherwise (my preference - but either would be a great improvement).
Yes thank you for pointing that out, I should’ve mentioned single transferable vote! I’ll read up on the other items you mentioned as well :)
I’ve used single transferrable vote, and it’s a genuinely fantastic system. You still get to vote in specific MPs, not just parties as a whole, and it does an excellent job of ensuring democratic outcomes. And despite fearmongering about it being “complicated” it just plain isn’t; you list your choices in order of preference. That’s it, that’s the whole system.
Those were very informing videos, thank you!
GCP Grey also did a newer video on the single transferable vote
Thanks sunshine!