BC-STV could get rid of by-elections!
Posted by: Frédéric Van Caenegem in British Columbia, Issues & politics, tags: BC-STV, by-elections, referendum, STV
Every time there is a by-election, I hear people saying the same thing: “How much is this going to cost?”. I usually respond: “democracy has a price, and that price is less onerous than a “free” dictatorship”. But that being said, is there a way to mitigate the costs related to an election?
Right now, in BC (and everywhere in Canada) if an elected official resigns (a fairly common event), is expelled from the legislature (a very rare event) or dies (an event that everyone has to go through in life), we have to hold a by-election to replace the departing (or departed) politician. Under our current system, there is no other way of dealing with this issue.
Under BC-STV, it could be a different story. As you may know, under BC-STV, electors rank candidates according to their preferences. Under that system, votes are transferred to your second, third, fourth, etc. choices depending of various situations; see http://stv.ca/how-does-stv-work#transfer for more details regarding this process.
The same principle could be applied if, for example, an MLA resigns during his/her mandate. Instead of holding a by-election, we can simply look back at the results of the previous general election. From those results, we simply transfer the choice made by voters who elected the departing politician. The result is that we get a new elected officials who has, roughly, the same values and ideas has the one who just quit. In other words, a new MLA from the same party.
This is actually what is being done in Australia and Malta. And not only does it save a by-election, but the voters’ will gets very well transferred under this principle and the new politician is almost always of the same party of the departing politician. Therefore, balance between parties remains. In fact, since 1985, in Tasmania, if the “new” guy is not from the same party as the “old” one, a by-election must be organized. And this has yet to happen.
Under the current FPTP system, by-elections must be held to replace politicians. Under BC-STV, by-elections can be avoided, without compromising the people’s will.
You can read more about this issue in here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issues_affecting_the_Single_Transferable_Vote#Vacancies
Frédéric Van Caenegem
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Hi Brian!
Like what you say about the usefulness of by-elections as a way to consult the voters in between elections, I haven’t thought about this originally. But after thinking about it, I realized why I didn’t thought about this: By-elections are practically useless.
First, by-elections have amazingly low participations. 22% in BC’s last by-elections in October 2008.
Secondly, by-elections are not very useful. Governments should have long-term vision. They should consult the people permanently, but govern and establish policies without changing the personnel (except through general elections every 4-5 years). This is why by-elections don’t work. It doesn’t bring accountability and doesn’t change policy.
Under our current system, by-elections are the only way to fill vacancies; under BC-STV, there are alternatives to by-elections while respecting the voters’ wishes.
By-elections are opportunities for voters to be heard – today’s voters. STV disenfranchises.
Recalculating and redistributing votes is not democracy. One man or woman, one vote – not the fraction of votes redistributed without consulting voters – is democracy. Mathematical calculations are not people; people make choices; mathematical calculations and redistribution of votes go around going back to the people, it does not allow them to express their opinion or give their consent. If you believe in democracy, vote to save our electoral system; vote for democracy.
By-elections are an opportunity for voters to cast their vote in light of the issues, circumstances and positions of candidates, parties, leaders at the present time. Let today’s voters choose, not voters from two, three, or four years ago who may not even live in the riding any more. Using STV to ge rid of by-elections disenfranchises voters.
You are correct that there is no need to have by-elections under STV. All that is needed is to recount the ballots and redistibute the ballots of the MLA who resigned or died while in office.