Current electoral system failing us

Dear editor: I disagree with James Miller’s support of the antiquated, unfair "First-Past-the Post" system (Herald, A5, Dec. 6)

Here’s why, from the Fair Vote Canada Website:

B.C. uses a voting system based on a “winner-take-all” principle. In recent elections, upwards of half of all voters cast ballots which elect no-one. As a result, many voters feel that their votes do not matter. About 68 per cent of ridings in B.C. are “safe seats.”

With first-past-the-post, voters often feel compelled to “plug their nose” and vote for a candidate which is not their first choice, to prevent a candidate they dislike from winning. Because each riding is a zero-sum game with one winner, parties with many policies in common run overly adversarial campaigns against each other.

Because almost half the votes cast do not count towards representation, “majority” governments consisting of a single party with 100 per cent of the power are often formed with the support of only 40 per cent of the electorate. Fifteen of 17 governments in B.C. since 1956 have been “false majorities.”

We need a modern, proportional voting system that will respect voter intention, make every vote count, deliver fair results, and help us elect a legislature that reflects the preferences of all British Columbians. Jim Galer Penticton