The
Alternative Vote is a voting system proposed by some as a "fix" for
elections in Canada. It's also known as Instant
Runoff Voting (IRV), ranked choice voting, or preferential
voting in single-member districts or ridings.
The
Alternative Vote doesn't address the main problem with our current winner-take-all voting
system: the results are not accurate to the way electors vote. More than
just distorted results because of a lack of
proportionality, it has many other faults -
it's just another winner-take-all system that
encourages strategic voting, denies equal representation for each voter, and distracts from the goal of
making every vote count.
Many
of the problems with the Alternative Vote are documented on this site. The same
problems would be present at the municipal or provincial levels, and supporting
AV there would be the thin of the wedge for spreading AV to other levels of
government and derailing real reforms.
Why
replace one dysfunctional voting system with another? Canadians should have equal
and effective votes that actually count towards electing a representative of
their choice...regardless of their political belief or place of residence.
They won't get that with the Alternative Vote.
The
Alternative Vote will deny Canadians the representation they want and deserve. Find
out more about AV and better alternatives here.