The absolutely most important thing is for all of us to become better informed and to be using consistent language and concepts.
Until the federal government puts together some information, probably the best thing to do is to read through the information gathered for the Citizens’ Assemblies in BC or Ontario.
The BC Citizens’ Assembly Fact Sheets provide a comprehensive look at the various electoral system and their effects on governance. These Fact Sheets and Electoral Reform Glossary can be found in the left sidebar and as PDFs under the Resources menu.
The Challenge
Electoral systems are complicated. Each general system can have many variations. Each variant can have dramatically different effects on how we are governed, our laws and policies.
What I found out as a member of the BC Citizens’ Assembly:
- Voter concerns are very different than the concerns of political parties and politicians.
- Voters have different concerns than academics who study electoral issues and political science.
- Once voters become aware that a better electoral system is possible, they get excited and want it.
- It’ s easy for partisan interests to spread misinformation and create confusion and fear to get voters to vote against their own interests.
- When most voters find out what’s possible with STV, they want it.
Process Choices
Parliamentary Process
Royal Commission
Voter Commission
Citizens’ Assembly
Referendum
Education
Public
Decision Makers
Consultation
Supreme Court Reference
Voters
Experts
MPs
Political Parties
Values
Deliberation
Time
Iterative consultation
Choosing
Build Best Alternatives
Semi-Finals
Final
Implementation & Timelines
Education
Consultation
Deliberation
Decision
Electoral Boundaries Commission
Voter Education – How to Vote
2019 Election
2023 Election – With or Without a Referendum