Understanding voting options

A common thread connects the two election-date-guessing-game opinion pieces published in The Guardian on Saturday, April 7: the electoral reform referendum.

In “A nice idea, but…”, Alan Holman worries whether the legislature will devote the necessary time and effort to debate which variation of the Mixed Member Proportional Representation (MMPR) system will be adopted.

Wayne Young’s piece “It’s what we don’t need” raises the spectre that an early election call will not allow sufficient time to inform and educate voters about MMPR, the first option proposed for the referendum on electoral reform.

Surely no referendum can be held before voters know what the ballot will look like and how such an electoral system is expected to work?

Given the media’s recent postbudget speculation regarding the date of the next provincial election, it would be incumbent on Premier MacLauchlan to state clearly — and as soon as possible — what his government’s position is on the referendum and whether this topic is on the agenda of the 3rd Session of the 65th General Assembly.

He must also guarantee that a comprehensive public education campaign be conducted as part of the referendum process to ensure Islanders know and understand their voting options.

Barbara Dylla, Charlottetown