Proportional Representation in Ontario
Have you ever
- voted in a riding that didn't elect a candidate who represented your views?
- voted for a party that you didn't like just to stop a party that you liked even less?
- avoided voting for the best local candidate because you couldn't support that candidate's party?
- voted for a local candidate because you supported him/her, even though you didn't support the party he/she was in?
- avoided voting because you felt your vote didn't count, or you felt that the system wasn't fair?
If you said Yes to any of these questions, you are not alone. The good news is that on October 10, Ontarians will have a chance to vote in a referendum where we can choose a new provincial voting system that will eliminate these problems.
The above (except for my additions in italics) is from a new flier from Vote for MMP. Visit it for more details.
Here is a sample ballot - showing that it is simple and easy to understand - you vote for the party and you vote for the local candidate.
- voted for a party that you didn't like just to stop a party that you liked even less?
- avoided voting for the best local candidate because you couldn't support that candidate's party?
- voted for a local candidate because you supported him/her, even though you didn't support the party he/she was in?
- avoided voting because you felt your vote didn't count, or you felt that the system wasn't fair?
If you said Yes to any of these questions, you are not alone. The good news is that on October 10, Ontarians will have a chance to vote in a referendum where we can choose a new provincial voting system that will eliminate these problems.
The above (except for my additions in italics) is from a new flier from Vote for MMP. Visit it for more details.
Here is a sample ballot - showing that it is simple and easy to understand - you vote for the party and you vote for the local candidate.
Below is a chart showing how our current system results in parties getting a number of seats that don't represent the proportion of people that voted for them, and, how the new system will result in seats proportional to the votes.
Make your vote count!
On October 10, vote yes for MMP (Mixed Member Proportional).
For more information on this topic, click here for all my posts on proportional representation.
3 comments:
One thing that MMPR does not address is vote dilution, which results in unbalanced parity for urban populations.
More importantly, it severely hinders the proportional representation of minority groups that are often centered in urban areas.
See: http://lawiscool.com/2007/07/29/vote-dilution-means-minorities-have-less-voice/
but you have to admit, that for the individual voter, it is much better than the current system.
I do agree that ridings need to be adjusted so they are more proportional in the number of people each represents. But this is a separate (but no less important) issue.
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