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Yes! to Fairer Votes
January 3, 2011 11:07 AM
FAIRER VOTES (AV) - THE EXPLANATION
The referendum on whether to introduce the Alternative Vote for
Parliamentary Elections is going to be held on May 5th 2011.
The Alternative Vote is not proportional but would be a clear
improvement on our current "First Past the Post" system.
In last May's General Election two thirds of the MPs elected got
less than 50% of the votes in their constituencies.
Under AV every MP will have to get more than 50%. At present
parties concentrate on the 100 marginal seats - and ignore the rest
as "safe" seats. Under AV they will need to work harder to get your
vote.
AV will allow you to vote first for the party you would really like to win
- you can then express a second preference for the one you would
prefer if your first choice isn't successful.
It will reduce the "wasted vote" argument and force parties to focus on
issues people really care about.
SO HOW DOES IT WORK? Simple - it is as easy as 1 2 3!
1 Your ballot paper will look the same but instead of putting an X in the
box you put 1 by the name of the candidate you really want to win.
Then put a 2 by your second choice and so on until you run out of
preferences.
2 At the Count all the number 1s are counted first. If a candidate gets
more than 50% then they are elected. If no candidate gets more than
50% then the bottom candidate is eliminated and their number
2 votes are counted as votes for the remaining candidates.
3 This carries on until a candidate reaches 50% and they are then
elected as MP.
Lib Dems would prefer a truly proportional system but neither of the
other two main parties would vote for that or even allow a referendum
- so AV will be a good step in that direction and the biggest change in
our voting system since women were given the vote.
PEOPLE FROM ALL POLITICAL PARTIES ARE IN FAVOUR OF
FAIRER VOTES
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