[The nine pages of tables which accompany this submission are
not available online but may be viewed at the Citizens'
Assembly office. A simulation of the 2001 BC election
restuls under the regional members at large proposal is attached as
a linked document (see below). A revised version of the
submission is on line as GIZA-0199 .]
Proposal for Regional Members At Large
This proposal is a system for adding regionally-based seats to
the legislature in addition to the normally elected members. This
is a minimalist change which still alleviates the problems which
have plagued our system - no effective opposition; no
representation for parties with a significant vote percentage; and
anomalies like /96 where a majority government was achieved with a
lower popular vote than the second party.
This system recognizes the unique regions of this
Province and allows ‘Members at Large’ to
be elected to represent their region and party where otherwise
regional perspectives would be under-represented. Five
regions are suggested : North,
Interior, Island, Vancouver,
Fraser.
All candidates would have two ways of being elected
- greatest number of votes in the riding as normal or as a Regional
‘Member at Large’ (M@L). An M@L seat is won
if a candidate or party attains a given threshold percentage of
tallied votes in the Region. A party without a candidate in a
riding would still have the party name on the ballot with the
designation M@L. Independent candidate names would also appear on
all ballots within the Region - not only in their home riding
(again the designation M@L would appear with the name in a non-home
riding). The suggested threshold is 6%. If a party or individual
achieves at least 6.0% of the total votes tallied within the Region
then a seat is won as a M@L. In the case of a party the candidate
with the greatest number of votes among fellow party candidates in
the Region gets the seat.
Two other threshold levels are suggested to add a
second and third M@L by Region for each party. These are suggested
at 14% and 24% of tallied votes in the
Region - progressively, a little more difficult test. (The North
would be an exception and be restricted to two possible M@L at 14%
because of their low number of regular seats.) The maximum number
of M@L for a party province-wide would therefore be 14.
Note that a M@L seat is not won if the party has achieved the
representation level with regular seats. This system mainly helps
smaller parties but also helps governing parties on the way down -
particularly at the 2nd. and 3rd. M@L level.
It is estimated that a range of 10 to 20 M@L would
be elected in any given election. It is entirely
voter-driven. Regular constituent seats are suggested to be reduced
to 70 seats. This will make it easier for the electorate to accept
10-20 or more M@L members. Majority government is still readily
achievable when the winning party wins a significant majority
of regular seats.
Other advantages of this system besides those
of opening paragraph : provides incubation period for
new parties where otherwise it is almost impossible to get started
and get elected; provides realistic opportunity for independent
candidates who have something to contribute but otherwise must work
the party system; provides softer landing for governing party
getting shot-down by the electorate - these people would be the
most effective opposition members; provides regional representation
for parties where otherwise would be shut-out; voters always decide
which individuals get elected - not designated party hacks; and
finally - it will add a real dynamic and a lot of fun
to elections and the legislature.
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