The Electoral Reform Society has warmly welcomed the
announcement today by the Richard Commission in favor of electing the National
Assembly for Wales by the single transferable vote (STV).
"We are delighted that the Richard Commission has recommended STV," said Ken Ritchie, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society. "We hope that this recommendation will receive the backing of the Assembly and lead to change being implemented by Westminster."
"STV is the fairest system because it combines party proportionality with much enhanced voter choice. It is the best for both voters and parties."
"Although the current voting system ensures that parties have broadly the share of seats in the Assembly that their electoral support warrants as the Commission has rightly noted, it creates two types of elected
representative and there can be conflict between the two. There is also a lack of choice for voters who must take the candidates that their favored party gives them in the order determined by the party. Under STV, electors can choose between candidates of the same party."
"The current system also allows anomalies such as the West question where the three losers in a constituency contest were nevertheless returned to the Assembly from the list. STV has no lists and so solves this problem."
"There will, of course, be some debate about the number of members to be elected from each constituency. The more seats in each constituency, the more proportional the system. But it is very good news that the principles of STV have been accepted."
"STV was also the recommendation of the Sunderland Commission which looked at the best way of electing local government in Wales. Although that recommendation has been shelved, we believe that Lord Richard's findings deserve support."
"We are delighted that the Richard Commission has recommended STV," said Ken Ritchie, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society. "We hope that this recommendation will receive the backing of the Assembly and lead to change being implemented by Westminster."
"STV is the fairest system because it combines party proportionality with much enhanced voter choice. It is the best for both voters and parties."
"Although the current voting system ensures that parties have broadly the share of seats in the Assembly that their electoral support warrants as the Commission has rightly noted, it creates two types of elected
representative and there can be conflict between the two. There is also a lack of choice for voters who must take the candidates that their favored party gives them in the order determined by the party. Under STV, electors can choose between candidates of the same party."
"The current system also allows anomalies such as the West question where the three losers in a constituency contest were nevertheless returned to the Assembly from the list. STV has no lists and so solves this problem."
"There will, of course, be some debate about the number of members to be elected from each constituency. The more seats in each constituency, the more proportional the system. But it is very good news that the principles of STV have been accepted."
"STV was also the recommendation of the Sunderland Commission which looked at the best way of electing local government in Wales. Although that recommendation has been shelved, we believe that Lord Richard's findings deserve support."
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.