16 April 2007

Electoral reform recommended

The Ontario Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform has made its recommendation for reforming the province's electoral system: replacing first-past-the-post (FPTP) with mixed-member proportional (MMP). I would like to think that my own submission had something to do with this, but it seems that MMP received the most support of the various suggested alternatives. This means we will be voting on whether to adopt MMP at the next provincial election in October. The Globe and Mail reports:

The referendum will have a high threshold in order to pass. It needs at least 60 per cent of the votes cast, along with at least 50 per cent of voters in a minimum of 64 individual provincial ridings. There are currently 103 ridings. . . .

Under [MMP], Ontario would have 90 MPs elected from local ridings, just as they are now, for 70 per cent of the seats in the legislature. Another 30 per cent of the seats, or 29 in total, would be awarded to candidates selected from lists put together by the parties. Candidates from the lists would be used to adjust the number of seats each party has to reflect its share of the popular vote.

Needless to say, I have already decided how I will vote.

No comments:

Post a Comment