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Advocate pushing for ranked voting in Barrie

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In Barrie
Aug 16th, 2016
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Ken Robertson -Barrie Examiner photo

By Bob Bruton Barrie Examiner

Ken Robertson wants his voice heard, and his vote to count, in the next city election.

The Barrie resident has asked to address council this fall about having a ranked ballot voting system in the 2018 election.

“We’re getting people elected to council that are only getting 18 to 20% of the vote,” he said. “There’s very few councillors that get elected with over 50% of the vote. Very few.

“We’re not criticizing anybody here. We just want to bring a fairer system for everybody, that’s all.”

Robertson is a member of 123 Barrie, associated with Unlock Democracy Canada, which seeks to replace the traditional first-past-the-post voting system.

Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs has provided municipalities with the option of using ranked ballots, starting in 2018. Ranked ballots allow a voter to rank candidates in order of preference – first, second, third choice, etc. – instead of just voting for one candidate.

Robertson said he’s heard no complaints about the voting system from those who have run in Barrie municipal elections, or about how they have fared.

It was instead a family member who got him thinking about other options.

“When my son was 18 years old, he wouldn’t go vote. He came home from work and he asked me why I was voting, and I said ‘well, that’s the thing to do. I’ve always voted’,” he replied.

“I know you, I know who you vote for. Your vote never counts,” son told father.

So Robertson (senior) looked into it, checked out what other countries did, even what political parties do. He noted they use a ranked ballot system to choose leaders.

“No matter what organization, it could be unions, any major group, there’s very few people that allow themselves to be lead by anybody that has less than 50% of the vote,” he said.

“I don’t get the opposition to it. I mean, it’s so simple.”

But Robertson understands that people are reluctant to change, especially something as fundamental to democracy as elections – and having the candidate with the most votes winning.

“Because it’s easier to get elected,” he said of the status quo’s popularity. “It’s only human nature we’re going to take the easy way out, right? So if I can get elected with 18-20%, why would I say I’d like to do it the other way, where I’ve got to get a consensus from all the voters. . .

“First-past-the-post, as we have in all our elections right now, is the easiest way out.”

Robertson noted voter turnout is often small in municipal elections, and especially in byelections.

In Barrie’s 2014 city election, voter turnout was 31.75%. In the Ward 7 byelection earlier this year, it was 17.5%.

The Ontario government has draft regulations that would allow local governments to change to a ranked ballots voting system, which include holding an open house and public meeting – to provide details on how it would work, equipment needed, costs, etc.

A municipal council would need to pass a bylaw on the new voting system by May 1, 2017 in order for it to apply to the 2018 election.

Barrie councillors next meet Sept. 12, at which time Robertson’s request could be considered.

The Municipal Elections Act allows local councils to decide on alternative voting methods to cast ballots, and many municipalities have done that. In many municipalities, for example, voters may have the option of voting online, by mail or telephone.

Ranked ballots are not being considered for school boards. If a municipality decided to use ranked ballots to elect council positions, voters would still use the current voting method for school board trustee.

AT A GLANCE

Ranked ballots have the potential to give voters a greater say in who is elected and increase voter engagement.
As an example of how ranked ballots work, let’s assume you voted for three candidates, you marked a ‘1’ next to your first choice candidate’s name, a ‘2’ next to your second choice and a ‘3’ next to your third choice.
If your first choice candidate is eliminated, ranked ballots take into account the next choices on your ballot. This helps to ensure that the winning candidate(s) receive support from a majority of voters more often.
By giving voters more choice, ranked ballots might also reduce strategic voting, which occurs when a voter decides not to pick their first-choice candidate in an election because they think their first-choice candidate may not win the election.
Negative campaigning can be reduced; since voters can rank multiple candidates, there is an incentive for candidates to appeal to voters not just as a first-preference vote, but also to gain a high ranking from supporters of other candidates
It can also encourage more candidates to remain in the race until voting day, since the threat of ‘splitting the vote’ between like-minded candidates is reduced.
In a ranked ballot election, there may be multiple rounds of counting before a candidate is declared the winner.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs

Percentage of votes cast, Barrie elections

2016 Ward 7 byelection, Andrew Prince, 22.53%

2014 city election

Mayor, Jeff Lehman, 92.25%
Ward 1, Bonnie Ainsworth, 62.86%
Ward 2, Rose Romita, 31.61%
Ward 3, Doug Shipley, 80.88%
Ward 4, Barry Ward, 44.54%
Ward 5, Peter Silveira, 43.74%
Ward 6, Michael Prowse, acclaimed
Ward 7, John Brassard, 75.25%
Ward 8, Arif Khan, 58.97%
Ward 9, Sergio Morales, 51.63%
Ward 10, Mike McCann, 46.74%
Source: City of Barrie

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