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Submission STEAD-0095 (Online)

Submission By Humphrey Stead
AddressCrofton, B.C.,
Organization
Date20040225
CategoryElectoral system change
Abstract
Electoral systems dependent on party lists should be avoided; they prevent a voter having a local member.  BC should adopt a majority electoral system; either preferential voting as in Australia [AV], or run-off elections as in France. [1 page]

Submission Content
1.  I oppose any system in which electors vote for a party and the party leaders select the members who will be MLAs. We should be very aware, now, in B.C. and in Canada, of the dangers of such appointments. Furthermore, not only is there the problem of paying off past (or future) favours, but, as shown in the recent elections in Israel, selection committee members can be bribed to move certain candidates up the party list so that they will be more likely to be appointed after the party's entitlement is known. There is also a disengagement between the MLAs and the citizens. If MLAs are chosen from party lists, according to party vote percentages, who is MY MLA? Who speaks for MY riding?

A 'compromise', when some MLAs are directly elected and others are appointed based on party vote, is not suitable. The elected MLAs will be more credible than the appointed ones (e.g., House of Commons vs Senate parliamentarians) and the evils of appointment continue to exist. Furthermore, unless the Legislature were to be expanded, which I think is not a good idea, the ridings of the elected members would have to become much larger.

2. I favour the election of MLAs who have received a majority of the votes in the consituency. There are two ways this could be achieved when no candidate receives at least 50.1% of the vote:

a. The use of preferential transferable votes - I believe this is the Australian system.

b. Run-off elections between the two top candidates - I think this system is used in France.

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