A solid majority of people who were aware of British Columbia's coming referendum on electoral reform are planning to vote in favour of adopting the B.C. Single Transferable Vote, according to polling conducted last month for British Columbians for BC-STV.
“It's encouraging for us, but we can't rest on our laurels,” said Bruce Hallsor, a spokesperson for British Columbians for BC-STV. “[The polling results] are almost a month old now. They are not a current snapshot of voter intention, but they were useful for us for our planning.”
The poll, conducted by Angus Reid Strategies, found that only between 30 and 35 percent of potential voters were aware there would be a referendum on the voting system held along with the May 12 provincial election, said Hallsor.
Of those who knew about the referendum, 65 percent said they would vote to adopt the BC-STV system, which would have voters in larger, multiple-member constituencies rank the candidates in order of preference. (The demochoice website shows how the system would work in the current election.)
To pass the measure requires 60 percent support across the province, as well as at least 50 percent support in 60 percent of the constituencies. In 2005 a referendum on adopting BC-STV came within a few percentage points of passing.
“We have to increase awareness,” said Hallsor. “We don't take anything for granted.”
An April 20 “campaign insiders” e-mail to supporters from Fair Voting B.C. vice-president Roy Ball put the awareness of the referendum at 44 percent, slightly higher than the figure given by Hallsor. The campaign is planning news releases, grassroots outreach and an advertising campaign, the message said.
“We don't think they're right,” said David Schrek, a spokesperson for the No BC-STV Campaign Society, which is planning to release the results of its own poll, plus its first TV ad, on April 22. “We'll see what Ipsos Reid found compared with what Angus Reid said they found.”
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Reach him here.
From the people I talk to I
From the people I talk to I do not believe that number is as high as they make out.
I am pretty sure it will fail again.
STV just to force politicos to think 4 a change!
I will vote STV just to change the politicking business and force MLA's and political parties to think outside the box!
Who you talking to?
Dan, you're obviously talking in the wrong circles - perhaps the Tieleman/Schreck one? ;-)
From the crowd with boots on the ground, I can report the mood to be extremely positive in favour of BC-STV. People are excited about it, a rarity when it comes to politics and our political system!
I was polled on this and the
I was polled on this and the questions were COMPLETELY leading.
STV will ensure everyone gets more christmas presents! Is that good, very good or double-plus good?
I have never ever been asked more leading questions except when getting polled on the Olympic binge by Angus Reid
Dan....
"From the people I talk to I do not believe that number is as high as they make out"
Dan, that is because you are talking to other NDP faithful who detest the STV because means the NDP would have little chance to form a government.
Ask yourself...
...why do a bunch of promise breaking neocons want you to vote for STV. I'm sure you can come up with an answer. Then vote "no".
BC-STV is for voters
BC-STV is not a partisan issue. It is a voting system designed by voters to be good for voters. All voters.
All voters, and all political parties, are badly served by the current system, which routinely distorts the results of every election and leaves most voters unrepresented.
Wilfrid
You're talking through your hat again - Bill Tieleman doesn't like STV - that's true, but there are scads of lefties who'll be voting STV - just like last time.
The fact of the matter is - flawed though it may be, it's at least 10 times better than the current non-democratic system.
Personally, I think the NDP would be in government now if we had STV...and it sure would have limited the damage the current dictator has done even if he hadn't left for Maui after 2005.
So you better get out there and vote NO a lot of times my friend....