Imagine the next election. You step up to make your mark. The ballot contains 19 names, two of who come from our area, the rest are merely names on a piece of paper.
"Drivel," say the pro-STV camp. "The voting public will rise to the challenge to find out all they can about those running for office."
Well, we beg to differ. Right now with only four names on the ballot all of whom are from our area we would be willing to bet that many who will be voting on May 12 know very little about those running. Two of the candidates chose not to or couldn't afford to debate in all-candidates meetings, both here on the lower Sunshine Coast and in Powell River, so neither their platforms or their personal views have been open to scrutiny by the electors. And what about the great debates of the future, could you picture the bedlam if there were 19 people to speak. How many ways can you say chaos?
If, as the general thinking goes, we would be lumped in with Vancouver Island for the expanded voting area, our chances of having someone from our area directly responsible to us would be slim to none. The sheer population of the Island precludes this. And the same scenario would apply to vast, thinly populated areas of northern B.C. Only the urban Lower Mainland with its dense population would have true representation.
And we predict only those with big pockets could afford to campaign in an expanded area. The travel would be expensive and would virtually eliminate anyone with any kind of a physical challenge. The race is already gruelling; STV would make it a marathon.
And finally we wonder what kind of unholy alliances a minority government in B.C. could trigger. Do your really want someone that was your fourth choice with the balance of power in the legislature?
Will STV entice voters out of their easy chairs to actually make the effort to go and vote? We say no and urge you to do the same. STV is not the answer.
