Referendum

[REKIBorter]

What a load of bollox. The unfair system is the FPTP. Don't believe the hype.

 

[jonnyboy666]

i think it sounds fairer but at the same time i agree with the "king maker" point so as a result i am undecided at present.

personally i think the more important thing than changing the voting system is (as has been said above) getting people to vote in the first place, the turn out in this country is really appalling.

 

[clockworkgazz]

Thanks for the links folks and I agree why is there such appathy? I would argue compulsory voting or if you don't use it then you lose it :twisted:

Mind you don't want to go down the perpetual coalition route this con lib government has really been a disaster IMHO.

 

[Easy_Rider]

AV is just far too complicated and will turn even more people off voting. We need to get back to the routes of our current system, we vote for a local MP not a PM, and the cabinet should lead the government and not the PM.

 

[JohnH]

The unfair system is the FPTP.

It's possible that in an AV election, the candidate who gets the most first preference votes can still lose the election. Would you call that "fair"?

...but at the same time i agree with the "king maker" point so as a result i am undecided at present.

The Australian general election is run using AV, and the Green party became the kingmakers in last year's elections. And this is how the tail gets to wag the dog...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/se ... tion-green

...this con lib government has really been a disaster IMHO.

Oh, it could be worse CWG. Portugal's outgoing socialist government have done such a great job of running the economy that the country will go bankrupt unless the rest of Europe bails them out. That sounds more like a "disaster" IMHO.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/ap ... ts-bailout

 

[taffy]

The most important thing is to get people to actually vote in the first place...

Sadly so.

voter turnout is chronically poor. Yyet people are so ready to p1$$ and moan about the "guvment" when it suits - did you vote for them no, oh so you voted against them? err no. So you diont bother to vote then?



People have a chance to influence (in so much as we can) the way this country is run and fail to do so.

 

[JeRkY]

What I want to know, for those of us who can see the benefit and the downside of ongoing coalitions is:
Can we mark our referendum ballot papers with 2 choices?

 

[JohnH]

AV is just far too complicated and will turn even more people off voting.

I think so too. Here is AV being used to choose between a bunch of wealthy, middle-class, multiple-home-owning Oxbridge graduates... :twisted:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_eT2EDBicM
(Fast forward to 9:20, unless you want to listen to Harriet Harman talking sh*te)

 

[yagamuffin]

AV is a bit of a fudge. True proportional representation would be better but this, I believe is the best we are going to get.

The two main problems with the current system are that a vote for anyone other than the big three parties is wasted and that a candidate can win with only 15% support from eligible voters (assuming 50% voter turnout)

The good thing with AV is that you can actually vote for the Greens or UKIP or another small party and have the big three as second or third choices, meaning that everyone has a say and everyone's vote counts.

 

[cyfa2809]

Can we mark our referendum ballot papers with 2 choices?

yes!
thats what the AV is
you can mark with even more than 2 aswell
or if you like just one
and thats where i think the fleibility is in this
you only have to vote for one if you want

but im getting confused on this thread now, maybe i shoudlnt have started this thread
i suspect there are many more like me though, that dont know enough politics and the rules therein