Scotland on May 3 held local and national elections under two methods of proportional voting. Voters used choice voting (called �single transferable� in Scotland) to elect local councils and a mixed-member proportional system to elect the Scottish Parliament.

Hosted by Britain�s Electoral Reform Society, FairVote organized a team of two-dozen election monitors including members of the democracy community, state and local election administrators and elected officials and FairVote board and staff. FairVote director Rob Richie�s comments on the elections were reported widely.

The election drew controversy due to a ballot design flaw in the parliamentary elections that led to a tenfold increase in invalid ballots, but proportional voting worked exceptionally well. Had the Parliament been elected under winner-take-all, Labour would have won an absolute majority of seats despite winning fewer votes than the Scottish National Party and only 29% of the list vote. Choice voting was a big success in bringing fair representation to local government and had a far lower rate of invalid ballots.

[ FairVote on proportional voting in Scotland ]
[ Rob Richie in the Scotsman ]
[ Scotsman on the successful use of choice voting ]
[ More on choice voting ]
[ More on mixed-member systems (see "Districts plus") ]
[ Blog post ]

Peoria (IL) used proportional voting to elect its City Council on April 17. Of ten seats, five are elected at large under cumulative voting, and the other five are elected from single-member, winner-take-all districts.

City residents have had cumulative voting rights since 1991, when plaintiffs and defendants settled a 1987 Voting Rights Act lawsuit against winner-take-all elections. Cumulative voting's record has been successful since then. A steady stream of African-Americans and political newcomers have been able to win representation. In 2007, Ryan Spain, 24, won his first political office with a largely grassroots campaign.

[ News and information on cumulative voting in Peoria ]
[ More on cumulative voting ]
[ More on the Voting Rights Act and proportional systems ]

The Ontario Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform on April 15 voted 94-8 to send a mixed member proportional (MMP) voting system to referendum. The decision follows an April 1 study commission recommendation in favor of MMP, which would replace winner-take-all elections as early as 2011.

Made up of 103 randomly selected citizens from around Ontario, the assembly deliberated for nearly a year on Ontario's current system and alternative reform proposals. Members included 52 men and 52 women.

Canada has been a hotbed for electoral reform. In 2005, the British Columbia Citizens Assembly recommended choice voting for Legislative Assembly elections. New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Quebec have all considered fundamental electoral reform.

[ More on electoral reform in Canada ]
[ Globe & Mail story ]
[ More on Citizens Assemblies ]
[ Ontario Citizens Assembly ]
[ Fair Vote Canada ]