The CF Referendum on Electoral Reform

[Tezcatlipoca]

Oh, sorry. Can't call it "Reform", can we


Anyway...

To satisfy the Lib Dems, as part of the Coalition Agreement, it was agreed that we would be given a referendum on whether to change the electoral system for the House of Commons from First Past The Post (FPTP) to the Alternative Vote (AV) system.

The Bill authorising the referendum finally passed Parliament on Wednesday and received Royal Assent, clearing the way for the referendum to take place on the 5th of May.

Voters will be given the choice between retaining our current system of FPTP or switching to AV.

Under FPTP, voters cast their ballot for a single candidate, and the candidate with the most votes wins. It usually results in a strong single-party Government. However, it can (& does) lead to very "safe seats", where many people's ballots are effectively "wasted". It is also easy for someone to win with less than 50% of the support of the electorate in their constituency.

Under AV, voters rank candidates in order of preference. The candidate with the most 1st preference votes wins, if they have obtained over 50%. If they did not obtain 50%, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their second preference votes are re-allocated. If this results in someone now having over 50%, then they win. If not, the rounds continue, with the candidate at the bottom being eliminated and their second/third preference votes re-allocated...



The Electoral Reform Society's Guide to AV

The Electoral Reform Society's Guide to FPTP

Q&A: Alternative Vote referendum

Where the Parties stand

Would the alternative vote have changed history?

PM David Cameron's speech Against AV

Deputy PM Nick Clegg's speech For AV

Yes to Fairer Votes

NOtoAV - Against the Alternative Vote

[Matth]

AV is good for one thing only, voting AGAINST a particular choice, by alt-voting your least worst alternatives.

It helps avoid "divided opposition".

But, it's a miserable halfway solution compared to Proportional Representation, and the London assembly has shown you can combine local direct representation with a proportional system.

I mean, it would be incredible if AV actually returned any more of the minority parties, though it would eliminate the "voting for X is a wasted vote" issue.

The main AV block votes will clearly be.
1. Dont want the conservatives - Labour + Libdem
2. Don't want labour - Conservative + Libdem
3. Centre-left - Libdem + Labour
4. Centre-right - Libdem + Conservative

The key issue, if the "3rd horse" alternative votes favour what would have been the second choice, then it could overturn the FPTP result.
In practice, safe seats are probably still going to be safe, marginals will still be marginal.

So why only AV as a choice?Where has the discussion on ALL versions and flavours of changing how we vote gone?

So much for consultation if the only choice we are given is AV..

Frankly after the lie that was the referendum on joining the European Common market but was really a vote to join the EU, I am dubious about this referendum actually giving the electorate what they really want.

I'm wondering if spoiling the referendum paper will be noted as a protest.

Originally Posted by Maggy J

I'm wondering if spoiling the referendum paper will be noted as a protest.

Nope, it'll just go in the bin.

AV seems a bit complicated.

Why change a system that seems to have worked for 100's years ?

not the version being offered no

Originally Posted by Paul M

Nope, it'll just go in the bin.

AV seems a bit complicated.

Why change a system that seems to have worked for 100's years ?

+1

It is hard enough to get people to go out and vote in the first place.

Hit some people with this and they will be like 'well it's too complicated innit'

Just vote for who you want in imo.

Originally Posted by Paul M

Nope, it'll just go in the bin.

AV seems a bit complicated.

Why change a system that seems to have worked for 100's years ?

doesn't the fact we are stuck with a lame coalition prove its does not work??

Originally Posted by ooogemaflop

doesn't the fact we are stuck with a lame coalition prove its does not work??

Nope.

Thats a bit like saying PC's dont work because you had a fault on one last week.

[Peter_]

No I want the person who wins the election to be the elected person not the second or third person.

Voting in reality is a none issue if like my family you opt for a postal ballot.

[techguyone]

If the future is coalition after coalition with AV like the bunch we currently have in, you'll end up with even less people voting than now (and God knows that bad enough already)

Lots more people dissatisfied 'I didn't vote for these'

Think I'm wrong?

See how well the Lib Dems do in the next few elections, I'll eat my hat if they're not 'punished' and lose significant ground they've made in recent years - as a direct result of forming the Coalition with the Conservatives./

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by techguyone

See how well the Lib Dems do in the next few elections, I'll eat my hat if they're not 'punished' and lose significant ground they've made in recent years - as a direct result of forming the Coalition with the Conservatives./

The Lib Dems will be caned at a lot of local and national elections and to be honest I relish the thought.

Who decided we needed a reform on the voting system anyway ?,it wouldn't have been the libdems would it because the way i see it AV is the only way they ever retain any power .
The real problem isn't the system we use it's the apathy of the voters .For the most part we see any party in power the same as the last one so don't see the point

[Osem]

For me the jury's out on AV but it'll be interesting to see how many people bother voting in the referendum. We're always being told that so many people don't bother to vote because they feel their vote doesn't matter. Let's see how true that is.

[alferret]

I really have no interest in AV, I see it as a pointless exercise. Wake me up when its all over I cant be bothered with it all.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by alferret

I really have no interest in AV, I see it as a pointless exercise. Wake me up when its all over I cant be bothered with it all.

Such a waste of money holding this Referendum, Money that could be spent on essential services