Last week, Premier Gordon Cambell indicated that the strong support for the past election’s referendum on electoral reform will not be discounted. His course of action is expected to be announced in the near future. The Single Transferable Vote system proposed by the Citizen’s Assembly on Electoral Reform fell slightly short of the 60% majority required for implementation, with only 58% of British Columbians voting Yes. An opinion poll, however, concluded that many of those who voted Yes simply wanted change, while those who voted No did not understand the new system. The referendum is not only a strong indicator of B.C. support for reform, but it also shows the need for public education and exposure to the various systems that can be implemented.
For the full article see this Vancouver Sun article.
For more information on the Single Transferable Vote system, see the Citizen’s Assembly on Electoral Reform website.