Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Ontario votes No

Today, Ontario voters considered the many advantages of their current first-past-the-post electoral system :

1) that massive 'majorities' can be won with a minority of the vote
2) that a vote for one party counts many times more than a vote for another party
3) that some parties with wide popular support are not represented at all
4) that women, minorities and youth are under-represented
5) that parties are not forced to work together to achieve consensus
6) that voter turnout is low

and then 63% of them voted to keep it.
A referendum on abolishing elections altogether would presumably attract a similar proportion of devotees.

Update : Speaking of de-votees, Skdadl points out in comments that voter turnout this time was just 52.6%
CBC : "The turnout was worse than a previous record low of 54.7 % set in 1923."
And why is that? Because they didn't have the MMP system.
And round it goes....

UPDATE : Peter Black, Vote MMP! Ottawa campaign manager : "Well, 37% voted for MMP and the press called it a resounding defeat. Only 42% votes for Mr. McGuinty and the press call it a resounding victory. That's first-past-the-post for you!"

6 comments:

West End Bob said...

Abolishing the election process altogether: A novel idea, Alison!

Perhaps there could be a general consensus that mr. harper could simply appoint MLAs and MPs.

Sounds quite fair, doesn't it ? ? ? ?

Anonymous said...

That's 63 per cent of the 50 per cent who went out to vote.

Not very good, is it.

Greg said...

Well since I refuse to participate in these farcical exercises anymore, I would have voted to abolish elections too.

Elections under FPTP are just an expensive waste of time.

Anonymous said...

I voted against MMP and for John Tory's PC party.

I voted against MMP because it would hurt Ontario by making right wing governments less possible and by weakening government itself (I hate corporations way more than you do, I'll have you know.)

My PC candidate happened to be a hot french 35 year old blonde who donated part of her liver to keep her mom alive. The previous MP, Richard Patten, loudly criticized his own Liberal party upon announcing his retirement as being the "Toronto Party".

I voted PC because Ontario is becoming a dominatrix state, forget nanny state. Much blood has been shed over the centuries to free men and women from tyranny; all in vain if we let our most basic rights slip away. Maybe when the Indian terrorists come for your home you'll understand.

Anonymous said...

Allison, just keep reminding yourself that we BCers will get another kick at the can in 2009. We only need another 2%.

Keep pushing the PR message and hope that the NDP and Greens officially support it this time, instead of quibbling over flavours of PR.

Alison said...

RAmen to that, Deanna!
Interesting to note that in BC, anti-PR press cited how MMP would be ok but STV would not, whereas in Ont the reverse was true.

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