I have just come back from the pub, having popped in for a couple after the polling booths had closed. There were only about 20 locals in and only 8 of them had voted, about 40%, which is about right.
The worrying thing, however was of the 8 who voted 4 had voted 1 2 3, rather than X. having been confused by the AV publicity. Ok 8 voters in my local aren't a scientific sample, but it does suggest that one of the more interesting things to look out for as the results come in is the number of votes spoiled by virtue of voting for more than one candidate.
Showing posts with label AV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AV. Show all posts
17/11/2010
Yes Men Looking for AV Support in Wales
I have received this e-mail from Iestyn Davies the Welsh Organiser of the AV referendum Yes Campaign:
My answer to Iestyn is NO, I'm not interested in the Lib Dem abuse of the electoral cycle in order to try and gain support for their half baked electoral reform compromise.
I will be campaigning in a much more important electoral contest on May 5th.
But I publish his appeal for support in the hope that Liberal and Labour AV supporters take their eye of the ball and put their efforts into AV rather than the Assembly campaign!
Hello friend,
My name is Iestyn Davies - I'm your Yes campaign organiser in Wales.
I am here to help Yes campaigners like you to build your own campaigns so that Wales says "Yes" to AV on 5 May 2011.
Your leadership will be critical to this effort. Right now, I am looking for local organisers to help build the campaign where you are. Will you take up the challenge and join me?
The Yes campaign got off to a fantastic start on Bonfire Night, with people coming together at events across the country. Now we need organisers in your area to keep up that momentum.
We have just under six months to make sure that the country is ready to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
This is your chance to make a difference to the Yes campaign and change the future of British politics. Click here to find out more about becoming a local organiser and how you can help make Wales say "Yes"
I am really looking forward to campaigning with you for a new way of doing politics!
Best wishes,
Iestyn Davies
Organiser, Wales
My answer to Iestyn is NO, I'm not interested in the Lib Dem abuse of the electoral cycle in order to try and gain support for their half baked electoral reform compromise.
I will be campaigning in a much more important electoral contest on May 5th.
But I publish his appeal for support in the hope that Liberal and Labour AV supporters take their eye of the ball and put their efforts into AV rather than the Assembly campaign!
27/10/2010
Lib Dem Gerrymandering for a Fair Vote is an Oxymoron
I have always been a bit of an agnostic about PR, I can see its advantages and its disadvantages.
Even under first past the post Plaid Cymru with a very small vote (in UK terms) claims to have had major achievements and to have punched far and above its weight in Westminster. If this is true there is no need for PR. Why should a party that claims that it has punched far above its democratic mandate under FPTP get even more power under PR?
On the other hand I can see the democratic deficit in the fact that the Conservatives in Scotland got 17% of the vote but fewer than 1% of the seats earlier this year! This is an example of a democratic deficit that has disenfranchised the voice of Scottish Tories that PR might equalise!
I understand the arguments for and the arguments against, but for the arguments to be realistic they must be based on a true belief in fairness.
The fact that the AV referendum is to be held on the same day as the Scottish, Welsh and NI General Elections is an exercise in unfairness.
Firstly because a proportion of the population who have more than average experience of alternative voting will have a disproportionate turnout!
Secondly because the Lib Dems froze out the SNP and Plaid Cymru in the Westminster elections, because they had much more coverage than the Nationalist parties did on an UK level. Holding the referendum on the same day is a despicable attempt to ensure that Nick Clegg gets as much, if not much more, coverage on the widest TV networks during the Scottish and Welsh General elections as Alex Salmond and Ieuan Wyn get!
As I said, I am an agnostic about alternative voting systems, but I will be voting NO in the AV referendum, because there is one thing that I do know about fair voting – you don't get a fair vote through Gerrymandering!
Even under first past the post Plaid Cymru with a very small vote (in UK terms) claims to have had major achievements and to have punched far and above its weight in Westminster. If this is true there is no need for PR. Why should a party that claims that it has punched far above its democratic mandate under FPTP get even more power under PR?
On the other hand I can see the democratic deficit in the fact that the Conservatives in Scotland got 17% of the vote but fewer than 1% of the seats earlier this year! This is an example of a democratic deficit that has disenfranchised the voice of Scottish Tories that PR might equalise!
I understand the arguments for and the arguments against, but for the arguments to be realistic they must be based on a true belief in fairness.
The fact that the AV referendum is to be held on the same day as the Scottish, Welsh and NI General Elections is an exercise in unfairness.
Firstly because a proportion of the population who have more than average experience of alternative voting will have a disproportionate turnout!
Secondly because the Lib Dems froze out the SNP and Plaid Cymru in the Westminster elections, because they had much more coverage than the Nationalist parties did on an UK level. Holding the referendum on the same day is a despicable attempt to ensure that Nick Clegg gets as much, if not much more, coverage on the widest TV networks during the Scottish and Welsh General elections as Alex Salmond and Ieuan Wyn get!
As I said, I am an agnostic about alternative voting systems, but I will be voting NO in the AV referendum, because there is one thing that I do know about fair voting – you don't get a fair vote through Gerrymandering!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)