B.C. election result would be different with a fairer voting system
Editor: If we applied a parity electoral system, which matches the popular vote to representation in in parliament, to the 2017 B.C. election, a remarkable transformation occurs.
Ballots apportioned across ridings provide voters with fair representation by like-minded MLAs.
For starters, the Liberal party would have 35 parity seats, the NDP 35, the Greens 15, Libertarian one and there would be one independent.
Most importantly, however, only 35,474 (1.8 per cent) of all votes cast would have been futile votes.
The current first-past-the-post system produced 975,136 (49.4 per cent) futile votes of the total vote. (Futile ballots are votes cast for candidates who don’t get elected).
The parity seat gains and losses by party are shown below.
Each gain signifies a re-allocation of voters not currently represented by a like-minded MLA under the FPTP system.
The table shows popular vote, current seats, seats under the parity system and how many seats would be gained or lost with the new system. Liberal 796,672 (40.36%) 43 35 -8 NDP 795,106 (40.28%) 41 35 -6 Green 332,387 (16.84%) 3 15 +14 Liber 7,838 (0.35%) 0 1 +1 Ind 6,437 (0.28%) 0 1 +1 For information purposes, the Libertarians and independents garnered more votes than any of the three members elected in the ridings of Cariboo North, Stikine, and Nechako Lakes.
The need to harmonize the number of parity seats with the number of ridings is a reality. Harmonization is complete when the parity seats correspond in number with that of ridings. A party or an Independent candidate may thereby gain an additional parity seat.
Occasionally, an independent candidate will receive enough votes to exceed the fractions of leftover parity seat votes. This candidate would thereby qualify for a parity seat, should harmonization be needed.
By and large, many Canadians still cling to the belief that they have an equal and fair opportunity to help elect a like-minded candidate to represent their interests in the legislature. But how can this be, when so many votes under the FPTP system languish at the polling station? We can only speculate what would happen if the 1,183,077 non-voters decided to make a difference.
The inter-rivalry contest between the different parties should always be a side show in determining election outcomes. Nonetheless, we could add some intrigue and make intra-party rivalry the key factor for determining the allocation of ridings. Why not? Let’s make it happen.
Albert Madsen, Kelowna
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