Using Choice Voting in School Elections
Choice voting is the form of proportional representation most commonly used for student elections in the United States. While the winner-take-all systems currently found at most schools allow dominant groups to sweep the vast majority of seats, choice voting/STV lets smaller student groups consolidate their support and win representation. When implemented at colleges and universities, choice voting has typically resulted in more diverse legislative bodies, greater student engagement and increased turnout.You may find yourself asking: Who wouldn’t want to implement a more democratic electoral system? It’s a good question. If campuses are not bastions of political expression, how can the young voters of today believe that their voices will be heard elsewhere? Early voter mobilization and the realization that each vote can and will count are essential elements in well-functioning democratic countries.