UNBC class gauging local support for electoral reform

A UNBC political science class has launched an online survey to find out how local residents feel about electoral reform.

The online survey went live earlier in March. It is particularly geared to students but is open to all.

The survey asks local residents their opinions on electoral reform. Those in favour of reform are asked to choose their preferred, such as the current firstpast-the-post system, or proportional systems, such as single transferrable vote or a mixed-member proportional system.

Mixed member proportional allows citizens to have one vote for their electoral district representative and another for their preferred political party. Legislature seats are filled first by the local representatives, and then based on a percentage of the party votes. Single transferrable vote is a proportional system which involves a ranked selection of local candidates. Multiple MLAs would be elected in each electoral district, based on the proportion of ranked ballots.

Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond has encouraged residents to take part in the survey.

“A great opportunity for the class to learn about meaningful research,” Bond tweeted on Thursday.

A province-wide referendum on electoral reform is planned for November. The issue is already contentious; the subject of electoral reform was a hot topic during the B.C. Liberal leadership race, which concluded last month with the election of Andrew Wilkinson as leader. Wilkinson has been an outspoken opponent of a change from the current first-past-the-post system.

Local residents have until Monday to take part in the online survey. The results will be released in April.