BC-STV kicks off campaign for electoral reform in British Columbia

Historic vote can make politicians more accountable

Vancouver, B.C. – British Columbians across the province will see lawn and window signs sprouting up in their communities and experience a dynamic new website as the campaign to bring electoral reform to British Columbia begins with a bang.

Across British Columbia, people of all political stripes are joining together as part of a grassroots campaign to encourage voters to adopt the Single Transferable Vote (STV) electoral system as a made-in-BC solution to create more accountable politicians and fair election results.

On May 12, in a province wide referendum on electoral reform, voters will have a chance to make history
and change the way politicians are elected. British Columbians will choose between the current “first- past-the-post” system and the STV system that was recommended overwhelmingly by the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform. In the last election, BC-STV received more votes than any political party, nearly 58 per cent. However, the referendum requires 60 per cent approval to be adopted by the government.

“B.C. voters deserve to have the government they vote for,” said Shoni Field, a former member of the Citizens’ Assembly. “Under the system we have now, the voters are cheated and we don’t get governments that are accountable to the majority. With BC-STV, more than 80 per cent of British Columbians will get an MLA they voted for unlike the current first past the post system where a party can win all the power with as little as 40 per cent of the vote.”

“STV is a fairer system because it demands that politicians listen to the people who elect them - and not just to the party brass,” said Bruce Hallsor, past president of Fair Voting BC. “With STV we can create strong, stable governments that are more responsive to our communities and end the wild swings in public policy we get now when governments change hands.”

British Columbians for BC-STV is the official proponent of the single transferable vote (STV) system, as proposed by the BC Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform in 2004. More information about the STV system and how British Columbians can get involved in the campaign is available at stv.ca or by calling 1- 866-835-7612.

Voters can also join the discussion online through Facebook and Twitter.

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For more information please contact:
Joanna Wyatt
604-970-3236
Joanna.wyatt@telus.net