Later this fall, B.C. will hold a referendum on changing the province's current electoral system from first-past-the-post (FPTP) to a model of proportional representation (PR).
The mail-in referendum is being held from Oct. 22 until Nov. 30, with voting packages being sent out between Oct. 22 and Nov. 22 (make sure your voting information is up to date if you have not voted, moved or changed your name).
British Columbians will be asked two questions. The first will ask whether the province should keep FPTP or move to a PR system. The second question will ask voters to rank three PR models — dual-member proportional (DMP), mixed-member proportional (MMP) and rural-urban proportional (RUP) — in order of preference.
A group in Prince George wants to educate residents on everything proportional representation.
Jay Sanders and Daniel Kelly are part of Proportional Representation Northern B.C., which is also a part of Fair Vote Canada. They host information booths, hand our flyers, present information nights and also knock door-to-door.
"There are little details," Kelly says of PR in general. "People tend to get caught up in that and get lost in the three options on the ballot and we'll see how that works out, but I think the idea is quite clear."
The pair says the response so far in Prince George to PR has been favourable and positive. At the same time, they've run into comments on social media, where people have said they're confused about PR.
"The more people hear about it, the more they like it," Sanders says. "I think once people understand more about the issues and why we even have this, then I think it makes a lot of sense. I think there is a lot of frustration in this area because (Prince George) is a very safe seat (for provincial elections)."
There will be two questions on the ballot. The first will ask if First Past the Post voting system should be kept or move to a system of proportional representation.
The second question will ask voters to rank three proportional systems: Dual Member Proportional (DMP), Mixed Member Proportional (MMP), and Rural-Urban Proportional (RUP).
Based on information from Elections B.C., here's a snapshot of each PR model:
Dual-member proportional (DMP)
In dual-member proportional, most electoral districts end up being combined with a neighbouring district that is then represented by two MLAs. Areas with the largest rural districts will still have only one MLA elected by getting most of the votes.
If you are in a district that will have two MLAs, parties may have one or two candidates running. The parties are the ones who decide who ends up first on the ballot and second (primary and secondary candidates).
The first seat in the district is won by the candidate with the most votes (similar to now). If a party had two candidates running, the candidate that appears first on the ballot would fill that seat.
The second seat would go to parties so that each party's share of seats in the legislature matches its share of the provincewide popular vote, Elections B.C. says. A party's second seats are filled in districts where its candidates did well. In order to get a second seat, parties need at least five per cent of the vote.
Mixed-member proportional (MMP)
Mixed-member proportional can be a little more complex.
In this voting system, there are two types of MLAs. District MLAs would represent electoral districts and, are elected by the current FPTP voting system. The second MLA would be a regional MLA and would represent groups of electoral regions known as districts.
Elections B.C. says they are elected from a party list so that each party's share of seats in the legislature roughly matches its share of the provincewide popular vote.
When it comes to regional seats, they're allocated to parties that are within defined regions, not the province as a whole.
District and regional seats, which are added together, roughly will match the party's share of the vote. To get any regional seats, a party must have five per cent of the vote.
Voters have two separate votes: one for a district candidate and one for a party. In other forms of this system, voters cast only one vote for a candidate that also counts for the candidate's party. If MMP is adopted, Elections B.C. says a legislative committee would then decide after the referendum if voters will receive one vote or two.
So the two options for voting would be: voters have two votes (one for a candidate and one for a party) or they have one vote and vote for a candidate. This vote would count for the candidate and the candidate's party.
Rural-urban proportional (RUP)
RUP combines two different promotional voting systems: single-transferable vote and mixed-member proportional.
Parties could run multiple candidates in any district and voters would then rank their preferred candidates on the ballot in order. Voters are allowed to rank as many candidates as they want.
This system is a little more complex to explain. Elections B.C. has the details.
