If it ain't broke, it doesn’t need fixing.

Posted 17 Feb 2011 by Walaa Idris

No to AV

That’s where I stand on AV (the Alternative Voting System). My objection to the proposed system is as simple as that. FPTP (First Pass the Post) might not be perfect but it does what it says on the tin and that’s good enough for me.

Having said that, there is a problem with the way we vote and our attitude to politics as a whole. As electorates, most of us are very disconnected and disinterested in politics and the political process but at the same time these same people and without fail are the first to complain when things don’t go their way – which doesn’t make a lot of sense.

This might come as a surprise but the Yes camp has an argument. In that it might not be fair for a Member of Parliament to represent a constituency when only 23% voted for him. However that’s not because of the current voting system is unfair, but because of the number of people who turn out on polling day.

Voting is a right and a privilege, which throughout history, in different parts of the world; many fought and died to get it. We’ve seen just very recently, how many in Egypt, Tunisia, Iran, Yemen, The Sudan and today in Bahrain gave their lives for that right and freedom.

But somehow here, in the belly of the oldest democracy in the world, we don’t seem to care much about it. Yes, some might consider giving children 16 years of age the right to vote, meanwhile almost half of those who are registered don’t bother to vote and an equal number of the voting age population are not even registered to vote – all too confusing!

What’s wrong with our voting system is clearly not the method by which we choose, but voting itself. Let me spell it out, our unpatriotic apathy towards the democratic process is the problem not FPTP – and it’s that attitude and disengagement that needs addressing not how we vote.

Instead of spending hundreds of millions of ponds, we don’t have, changing and implementing a method barely used anywhere else in the world, it will be wiser to invest a fraction of that money in explaining and promoting the importance and the value of having and casting a vote.

Changing the voting system is another plaster solution to a deep rooted problem – and it will not make voting any fairer than it is currently.

4 comment(s)

Gregg

Gregg
17 Feb, 13:52

I will be voting for change on May 5th.

I agree with you about the apathy but don’t blame the politicos for that, I blame the populace at large. After over 30 years I have decided I can’t be bothered trying to engage the public any more and have given up active politics. I’ve met the sheer apathy when involved with three parties over the years and as an independent councillor from 1999 to 2003. I can’t take it anymore!

Back to AV. I support it because it gives people choice. You can still vote for a single candidate, or you can rank all candidates. My current MP was elected on only 40% of the turnout, that can’t be right.

It’s not perfect but it’s an improvement on FPTP. I will probably still only vote for one candidate but would like the choice.

Here’s what I said about it on my blog:
http://abriefencounter.blogspot.com/2011/02/voting-for-alternative-vote-system-on.html

Elliot Sampford

Elliot Sampford
17 Feb, 15:17

Can’t agree with you “If it ain’t broke, it doesn’t need fixing” because that suggests we shouldn’t strive to improve. FPTP isn’t working for democracy by the majority. E.G. Three candidates receive votes A=34%, B=33%, C=33%. ‘A’ is elected although 66%, the majority of voters didn’t choose ‘A’. Five candidates, A=21%, B,C,D,= 20% each, E=19%; ‘A’ is elected contrary to wishes of majority of 79%. How can that not be a broken system of selection?

The degree of apathy by the electorate is not relevant in claiming FPTP is the better system; it is a seperate problem.

Lee Griffin

Lee Griffin
17 Feb, 16:22

In 2010 there were about 25%, a quarter, of all voters that voted for someone who was 3rd placed or below. Under FPTP those people might as well have not turned up, yet if their candidate hadn’t have run they might have had an actual influence on which of the two most popular MPs actually represented them in parliament.

Are you claiming that those 25% of voters being utterly disregarded when it comes to deciding who is actually the most popular of the most popular candidates, is something that isn’t broke? What a weird democracy you stand for!

Paul

Paul
19 Feb, 07:29

I agree Walaa but perhaps for different reasons

In 2010 the SNP got 491,386 votes and won 6 seats, UKIP got double that at 919,546 and are still unrepresented in parliament

That cannot be right and AV won’t fix it

I shall be voting in May and I will be voting to keep FPTP

However I think the Yes to AV vote will take the day as many people will make it an anti politics referendum and we will end up with a bad system for worse reasons

The bookies have it very tight with Yes just ahead
I trust the markets as self interest is usually the most reliable guide

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