[quote=“BTravenn”]
[quote=“DWhite”]
In other words we run the risk (again) of having a party that doesn’t represent the wishes of 58% of the population having a majority and free to do whatever they want for four years. Remember this isn’t 58% of the people not voting for them. This is 58% of the people who would NEVER CONSIDER voting for them.
Hopefully we will get a minority, but omehow we need a find an electoral system that allows us to vote for the party of our choice, where voting splitting and strategic voting are minimized, and still get the result that represents the wishes of the majority.[/quote]
Near the beginning of the campaign, Justin mentioned that the Liberals would favour a proportional system or a preferential system like Australia’s variant of first past the post, where second and if necessary third choices are allocated until the winning candidate has greater than 50% rather than just more than the next highest candidate.
I don’t recall Mulcair saying anything on that. As on quite a few issues he either does not have anything to say or is ambivalent.[/quote]
The NDP prefer proportional representation.
ndp.ca/news/ndp-and-fair-vot … ral-reform
The Liberals are committed to reform and will set up a committee. I have read (but cannot find) that they would like preferential ballots as opposed to proportional representation.
liberal.ca/petitions/electoral-reform/
I couldn’t find anything for the Conservatives. Typing in the party leader and electoral reform took me quite quickly to the NDP and Liberal sites. Doing the same for the Conservatives got me nowhere. Maybe somebody else can find their policy but I do believe it is status quo.
I really haven’t studied it completely, but I think I would lean to a preferential ballot.
In first past the post we often get breakdowns like this.
Party A 40%
Party B 30%
Party C 20%
Party D 10%
However if it were straight A vs B, B might easily win. D could theoretically win in straight up vote of A vs D. In other words A wins in our system but he might not be the person who best represents the interest of all the voters.
As well, a preferential ballot might allow a significant number of voters to actually support minor parties and independents without feeling their vote is wasted. It would be interesting to see how many people might vote for a popular independent knowing their second choice would still be considered.
And of course, a preferential ballot would result in us knowing that the ultimate winner in each riding did have more than 50% support even though some of that may be lukewarm. Getting a majority would still be possible but more legitimate.
My worry with proportional or mixed member is that too many of the people would be party chosen rather than voter chosen. Maybe senators could be selected on the basis of party support.
Unless the ballot results are significantly different from the current polls no party deserves a majority.