Comments on: How England might get proportional representation/2007/06/30/how-england-might-get-proportional-representation/Andrew Curry's blog on futures, trends, emerging issues and scenariosFri, 07 May 2010 20:08:03 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.com/By: Vlad Gorre/2007/06/30/how-england-might-get-proportional-representation/#comment-2649Fri, 07 May 2010 20:08:03 +0000/2007/06/30/how-england-might-get-proportional-representation/#comment-2649I have started a Facebook group supporting the MMP version of proportional representation.
Check it out and join if you agree.

Search FAcebook for the group, it’s called:
Proportional representation for the UK electoral system

]]>By: UkraineToday/2007/06/30/how-england-might-get-proportional-representation/#comment-182Sat, 30 Jun 2007 20:57:27 +0000/2007/06/30/how-england-might-get-proportional-representation/#comment-182Thanks for raising this issue. The English first-past-the-post voting system was designed in the days when most people could not read or write. Any serious analysis of the outcome in terms of representation would relegate this system to the past.

Multi-member electorates utilising a system of preferential proportional representation would provide England with a far more democratic representation.

PR works best with electorates that elect an odd number of candidates per electorate Each electorate should be equal in size and representation. Ideally electorates that elect seven (12.5% quota)or nine members (10% quota)

One other option that is worth considering is the adoption of a preferential voting system as opposed to a party list system. The adoption of preferential voting ensures that most people will be represented by someone of their choice.

In situations where there is a single member constituency (such as the French or Ukrainian Presidential elections a preferential voting system would eliminate the need for a two-round voting system, saving 100’s of millions of dollars/pounds or Euros.

A single ballot where voters are required to list in order of preference their chosen candidates (1, 2 ,3 etc). if no one candidate has 50% or more votes then the candidate with the lowest vote is excluded from the count and their votes redistributed. this process is repeated until a candidate has obtained the 50% or quota. (Under a multi-member preferential voting system the quota would be less but the same principle applies).

One can only hope that England will review it’s voting system and move into the 21st century and further enhance the british parliamentary system. If Britain makes the change then Canada and the USA will also hopefully follow.

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