• Click here for animations that illustrate how the Single Transferable Vote works, along with the current First Past the Post voting system.

VANCOUVER: Today's release of the Electoral Boundaries Commission Report provides the answer to a key question missing from the 2005 referendum on voting reform - what the boundaries of a new voting system would look like, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) said today.

"A more proportional voting system will mean the person chosen by most voters is actually elected," said Maureen Bader, BC Director of the CTF. "A Single Transferable Voting system (STV) will give voters more choice at election time. With a system that translates those choices into seats, we will no longer be represented by the person most of us didn't vote for."

During BC's May 17, 2005 election, the referendum on electoral reform resulted in 57.69% of eligible voters voting in favour of STV, just 2.3 per cent shy of the required 60%. This occurred among more than 50% of voters in 77 of the 79 ridings, well above the minimum 48 ridings required. The election on May 12, 2009 will include a referendum question on STV, giving the voters of BC with another opportunity to vote on electoral reform.

"A key part of the CTF mandate is to achieve greater government accountability and reforming the voting system will do that," continued Bader. "We saw from the referendum results in the last election that the people of BC are ready for change."

BC's current voting system is a first-past-the-post system, where a single candidate with the most votes wins. The first-past-the-post system has resulted in a high level of party discipline, giving the premier and cabinet domination over decision making, and preventing MLA's from representing their constituents should their interests differ from those of the premier and cabinet.

The CTF recommends changing to a Single Transferable Vote (STV) system of proportional representation, where MLAs are elected in proportion to the votes cast. This system involves ranking candidates according to voter preference. Vote counting is more complicated but the end result represents the preferences of voters.

"Right now people are upset about the lack of accountability among politicians," continued Bader. "Proportional representation will help bring accountability back into the system."