By Editor
Published May 2nd 2007 in Hollyrood Today
Leading electoral officials, election reform campaigners and
journalists from around the world have arrived in Scotland to observe
tomorrow’s elections as guests of the Electoral Reform Society.
A large American contingent, including senior representatives of FairVote, an organisation that aims to ensure US elections run as smoothly as possible, will study Scottish voting systems and technology to see if it can be used in American elections.
Elections in the US have long been marred by accusations of fraud and problems with voting technology culminating in the 2000 presidential election debacle.
ERS chief executive Ken Ritchie said: “Scotland has found itself at the forefront of democratic modernisation. The local elections under the single transferable vote are generating worldwide interest."
FairVote chief executive Rob Richie added:
“Our organisations are about moving voting into the modern era. I certainly applaud the experimentation that is taking place in this country. It certainly seems that the Old World may still have something teach the New when it comes to democracy.”
Observers from other countries including Canada and New Zealand will also attend.
A large American contingent, including senior representatives of FairVote, an organisation that aims to ensure US elections run as smoothly as possible, will study Scottish voting systems and technology to see if it can be used in American elections.
Elections in the US have long been marred by accusations of fraud and problems with voting technology culminating in the 2000 presidential election debacle.
ERS chief executive Ken Ritchie said: “Scotland has found itself at the forefront of democratic modernisation. The local elections under the single transferable vote are generating worldwide interest."
FairVote chief executive Rob Richie added:
“Our organisations are about moving voting into the modern era. I certainly applaud the experimentation that is taking place in this country. It certainly seems that the Old World may still have something teach the New when it comes to democracy.”
Observers from other countries including Canada and New Zealand will also attend.
Election Day '09 was a roller-coaster for election reformers. Instant runoff voting had a great night in Minnesota, where St. Paul voters chose to implement IRV for its city elections, and Minneapolis voters used IRV for the first time—with local media touting it as a big success. As the Star-Tribune noted in endorsing IRV for St. Paul, Tuesday’s elections give the Twin Cities a chance to show the whole state of Minnesota the benefits of adopting IRV. There were disappointments in Lowell and Pierce County too, but high-profile multi-candidate races in New Jersey and New York keep policymakers focused on ways to reform elections; the Baltimore Sun and Miami Herald were among many newspapers publishing commentary from FairVote board member and former presidential candidate John Anderson on how IRV can mitigate the problems of plurality elections.