Does our loss in the BC referendum mean that voter equality
is no longer a human right?
Any answer you give would sound funny, right?
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So, here’s why I think all referenda on proportional representation are detrimental to voter equality: (I originally wrote this blog post in Oct 2 2016, and now, after the results in BC, I believe it more than ever. Originally I referred to a nation-wide referendum, but the idea is transferable to provincial referenda, too.)
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A referendum on whether to change our Canadian electoral system to the proportional representation* of parties would be a partisan measure of how much people want to protect their parties’ present turf rather than a non-partisan measure of how much people want to provide equal protection to all voters, including those who vote for smaller parties.
A referendum on whether to change our Canadian electoral system to the proportional representation* of parties would be a partisan measure of how much people want to protect their parties’ present turf rather than a non-partisan measure of how much people want to provide equal protection to all voters, including those who vote for smaller parties.
If that type
of referendum, with a partisan-skewed topic, were to be perceived as having a
non-partisan topic (such as the referendum on the prohibition of alcohol in
1898), then it would erroneously be perceived as “fair,”** and would provide a
false cover of legitimacy. This erroneous perception would do more damage to
the cause of fair voting and voter equality than not having a referendum at
all.
Here is what
would motivate a proportional representation (PR) referendum voter to be
partisan: Since the outcome of a PR referendum would greatly influence how much
power a political party would obtain in future elections, it is very likely
that a voter’s answer on the referendum question would take that into account
and therefore be influenced by their allegiance to their chosen party. Even
without taking that into account, that referendum voter would be influenced by
those in their chosen party who do
take that into account.