AV a think
So, this week there is a vote on whether to reform the electoral system. This is a big question, and I’d kind of imagined that by this point there would be quite a lot of discussion of it back in the UK. It looks though as if it’s barely in the public consciousness at all, and today someone sent me a link which remarked that ‘young people are snubbing the referendum because they don’t know it is happening’. Which I suppose is like saying I was snubbed by girls at school because they weren’t really aware of me: a legitimate excuse, but not much of a comfort.
I managed to get two new people to watch the snooker with that blog the other night, just like I convinced one person to try coffee with a similar proselytising effort, so I’ll see if I can get maybe one, two or – hell – even THREE readers to abandon their position of indifference on this. Truly, I am like Citizen Kane (‘people will think what I want them to think’), except not fixated on a sledge, and not important.
The AV question is pretty boring, sure, but it will have a bearing on your future if you live in the UK and are not planning to die too soon. If it is introduced, we will get the chance to nominate a ‘second choice’ in general elections alongside our favourite. This will mean you can vote – say – Green as a point of principle, but since you know the Greens aren’t actually going to win, you can also boost Labour with your second choice. This will POSSIBLY result in a fairer relationship between our votes and the people who get to be MPs. It’ll bring us closer to a proportional representation system where minor parties have more chance of being heard in parliament, and politics isn’t dominated so much by two similar superpowers. On the other hand it could make everything more confusing and bitty and lead to lots more awkward coalitions where no-one can work out who’s in charge.
Personally I tend towards the first point of view, but either way, it does seem worthwhile making our minds up about it rather than passively allowing the referendum to go by and then one day thinking ‘oh that’s a shame, I should have taken part in that’. Both sides have done a fairly poor job of explaining the pros and cons, but if you go on the internet, you will soon be able to get a pretty good picture. Last night’s Canadian elections showed among other things that not participating in an election is a bad way of showing your discontent with politics. So – the vote is on Thursday I believe. Do some research. Cast a vote. We don’t get many referendums. Even the word is a fun word. Make the most of it.
Here’s a link to Armando Iannucci explaining the situation more elegantly than I would be likely to.
In tomorrow’s blog: How I survived a tornado today.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23946098-why-londoners-should-flock-to-vote-on-thursday.do
Posted by Craig Tubb on May 5, 2011
I will be voting ‘Yes’ due to several philosophies I live by:
- ‘Give everything a chance’.
- Don’t say No too much.
- I like change.
Posted by Andrew on May 4, 2011
Much of the scaremongering seems to be about the idea that if we get AV, it will give more of a voice to parties like the BNP. But I think we _should_ give more of a voice to parties like the BNP (wait, wait), because that’s the only way to expose them for the idiots they are. The BNP have been very successful trading on a vague discomfort about immigration; the vast majority of people only talk about them in that context, and I bet the vast majority of their voters vote for them for that reason. I doubt most BNP voters are aware that Nick Griffin is a long-standing Holocaust denier. Or that he thinks that when a white person has a mixed-race child, “a white family line that stretches back into deep pre-history is destroyed” and that mixed-race children are “the most tragic victims of enforced multi-racism”. Or that the BNP proposes that citizens should keep a rifle and ammunition in their homes. Or – and this is my favourite – that it plans “to end the conflict in Ireland by welcoming Eire as well as Ulster as equal partners in a federation of the nations of the British Isles”. So anyway, if AV makes parties like the BNP more visible, for my money that makes them more exposable. There’s more to fear from keeping them marginalised with the current system.
Posted by amycool on May 4, 2011
I sometimes find it’s the people who complain the most about how things are run who never bother to vote. I think they just like moaning.
Although AV isn’t the best option, it certainly appears to be better than FPTP and it may open the doors to a PR system. I remember discussing this in year 9 history and we all agreed that PR is better. So it definitely isn’t too hard for people to understand. It’s just all the stupid analogies with sport that have confused people.
I see not voting as pissing all over the graves of those who died for our right to vote. So there.
Posted by Misha on May 4, 2011
Despite being a young person, I intend to vote (yes if you’re interested) because the polling station is at the bottom of the garden at home, which is where i’ll be as it’s my 19th birthday on thursday!
Posted by isabelle on May 4, 2011
I shall agree completely with Tibbs here. Another Canadian completely horrified with last night’s results. 40% of people voted for a party, how does that translate to a majority? Luckily (or perhaps unluckily) I’m in the province which voted largely against the conservatives.
I would love a voting reform over here, our system, which is based on yours also needs a good amount of update.
Posted by Mike on May 4, 2011
Josie, you are certainly not the only one – in fact votes for 16-18 year olds is one of the big issues of the voting debate.
Posted by Tibbs on May 3, 2011
I think it was great that you remained neutral in your blog and just encouraged people to vote whatever way they want. However, I am going to be totally biased and say that I hope everyone goes out and votes YES, and that your electoral reforms influence Canada to get a more proportionally representative (that sounds really awkward, but I can’t think of a better way to put it) system. Because yesterday’s election made my face do this =(
Posted by sarahthemonkey2 on May 3, 2011
I’m indecesive but since my twin sister is looking like she will be voting one way, I could just voe the other way and then we would cancel each other out. I’ve no idea how my parents are voting, if they’ll end up cancelling each other votes out as well.
I would like the change and apparently it would mean MP would have to work harder but as my sister points out, the cost of changing. Really need to make my mind up. Need to do some research
Posted by Josie on May 3, 2011
I must be the only 17 year old who wishes they could vote, and has done since they were 15. I understand that, no, I don’t pay taxes, but I would be willing to if it meant that I could get a say in how my country was being run, particularly as the really big issues – education, youth unemployment and healthcare – directly affect me. Hopefully the voting system will be changed so we can have a fairer future in which I will be able to vote!
Posted by Ingrid on May 3, 2011
I’m pretty sure i would vote yes… if i was old enough. Well im pretty sure i will have plenty of opportunities to vote in the future, and until then, im still drinking coffee.
Posted by Anji on May 3, 2011
I have voted and sent it back. Quite organised for me. Although my vote is for an area in which I no longer live, but that’s not my fault! I’m done and dusted and had my say!
Posted by Rhian on May 3, 2011
I think I’ve pretty much made up my mind to vote yes. However, I thought this blog post about voting no might be of interest as it is not just ranting about how expensive it will be.
http://owenjones.org/2011/04/20/why-im-voting-no-to-av/
Posted by Jen on May 3, 2011
thank you for the link – i will do more research as I do see the importance of this but at the moment this whole ranking system idea just doesn’t do it for me….why mess???….hmmmmm i will investigate the pros/cons further!…i need to be fully informed,Jx
Posted by Mike on May 3, 2011
To call this issue boring is to imply that all of politics is boring. It’s the first time in centuries that the electorate gets to choose directly how politics works in this country. If you care at all about politics then vote on Thursday!
(p.s. vote YES because it’s the only chance we’ll get in our lifetimes to change the status quo that’s massively biased towards the establishment)
Posted by Weaselspoon on May 3, 2011
I have already voted Yes, partly because tactical voting (and election materials based on “vote X because Y can’t win”) really pisses me off, partly because having a bit of maths in my background (ie a degree from Oxford) makes me like the more thorough counting system, but mostly because the No2AV arguments are blatantly rubbish.
I am proud to say I vote the party that I think should win, rather than the least bad party that might win. Wherever this is possible. AV should enable more people to do this without feeling they are wasting their votes.
Here is a mathematician trying to remain neutral about the affair and failing:
http://gowers.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/is-av-better-than-fptp/
Also, I think Mark is describing instant runoff (first and second preferences) rather than AV (rank until don’t care). London mayor was by instant runoff if I remember correctly, because I knew it would come down to round two being Ken vs Boris.
Posted by MusicalLottie on May 3, 2011
What I like most about this blog is that you’re not advocating either way. So many people in the public eye are being very vocal about their own views, whereas you’re just encouraging people to think about it. Good for you
Posted by Josh (the magnificent one) on May 3, 2011
I feel bad constantly plugging things I’ve written, but I did just write this the other day:
http://hardwatertown.tumblr.com/post/5132485154/yes-x
I’ll link to the things I linked to in it, just so you can avoid reading it but still have a nice day:
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-if-you-get-the-x-factor-youll-get-av-2271058.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiHuiDD_oTk&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gINYDbPYEK0&feature=player_embedded
Please vote Yes.
Posted by Megan on May 3, 2011
Not my country, but I am so pro-election reform. AV might have prevented the Conservative majority Canada now has. (They were elected with only 40% voter support last night. Ugh ugh ugh.)
(Yes, all of my blog comments are at risk of being this bitter/about the election for some time.
)
Posted by Rachael on May 3, 2011
1. You are important.
2. Glad you survived.
3. I want to vote but feel poorly informed so i will go do research. Thanks for the link.
Posted by Paul on May 3, 2011
Many many thanks for providing that link, it’s nice to see someone actually make the point that the arguments being put forward are AWFUL, and none of the reporting on it has been any better. I’ve been tempted to vote ‘Yes’ purely on the basis of how vigorously childish the ‘No’ argument has been put forward. My MP, in her column in the local press, actually finished the column with, “Also, AV is expensive.” like it had been written by a 6-year-old.
The whole thing has been very badly done, to the point that I’ve also been tempted to spoil my ballot just to spite everyone. What bemuses me most is that the political parties themselves choose their leaders by AV, so what does that say about the validity of their positions any time someone bemoans what a terrible idea AV is? I’ll leave my rant at that.
Thanks again, the world feels like a better place because of this post!