Submission CRAIGHEAD-1023 (Online)

I would like to see a system of proportional representation used to elect MLAs in British Columbia.

I want this kind of system because I often find that niether of the major parties represents my views about how British Columbia should be goverened.I also note that in general the number of votes a party receives bears little relation to the number of seats it gets. I believe this is unfair to the voters whose voices remain unheard and to the party who may receive much support but no representation in terms of seats and voices in the legislature.

The system that I would like to see is the mixed member proportional [MMP] system because it gives local representation as well as ensuring a proportional result of seats won by a party in accordance with the number of citizens who cast votes for that party. I realise this means that the electoral districts would have to be larger but I am quite happy to accept this because I know that at least one of my votes cast under this system will truly represent my political views and will contribute to possibly electing an MLA who will then be able to express them in the Legislature.

I do not favour the single transferabel vote [STV] system of election because it is not truly proportional. Also, I do not want to have to rank a large number of candidates as I feel I am unlikely to know enough about them to do this meaningfully. Also, the vote counting system is too complex for people to understand the meaning and actual effect of their vote. I believe that if such a sytem is put to the people of British Columbia it will be rejected.