Dear Editor:

 

While voters are confused about how the different electoral systems work, they have made it abundantly clear they want all parties fairly represented in our Parliaments.

Proportional Representation (PR) is the only electoral system that addresses this issue, and that is why it is used in virtually all democratic societies in the so-called free world.

Another very important reason to use a proportional system is that it encourages the development of more parties, opening the doors for more people to get involved with the political process.  To make sure the majority of the MPs are elected in the geographic regions where they live, larger electoral districts will be created to include several federal ridings.

The process of nominating candidates does not change, but there are many ways of ranking the candidates on the so-called Party List, the list of candidates representing the different parties in an election.

Using a proportional ballot, voters mark the ballot to indicate the party of choice to establish how many seats it will get in the Legislature, while on the same ballot they vote for and rank the candidates. That makes it about as simple, honest, and fair as it can possibly get.

It is in a way a win win ballot, because you can vote for your favourite party and candidate without penalty.

It is also the only balloting system where every single vote is used to elect a candidate.

The big bonus is that this system of balloting consistently produces governments that are politically stable, efficient and productive.

Mixed Member Proportional (MMP), and Trudeau’s preferential, “instant run-off’ models are both monumental disasters.

A preferential ballot will undermine the party structure, because millions of the voters will be obliged to choose between party – or candidate.

It will also produce results that are similar to using our current electoral system: Minority governments that miraculously get most of the seats.

The STV (Single Transferable Vote) for B.C. was a preferential ballot, not a proportional ballot. That is why the referendum failed — twice. The people wanted Proportional Representation.

 

Andy Thomsen

Peachland