VOTE NO to B.C.’s Proportional Representation Referendum

Right now, voting is simple: The person with the most votes wins.

Why say NO to Proportional Representation? Politicians would be accountable to their party, not to you There would be a loss of local representation Power would be given to extreme and fringe groups The referendum process is seriously flawed

1. No accountability With Proportional Representation: MLAs are chosen from closed political party lists Governments are formed in political backrooms Candidates wouldn’t need to live in the ridings they represent

Governments under Proportional Representation are notoriously unstable Governments under Proportional Representation are notoriously unstable. Since World War II: Italy One election every year Greece One election every 1.5 years Belgium One election every 2 years

ITALY GREECE BELGIUM CANADA

Unstable governments lead to: Lack of consensus as there will be no majority governments Poor decision making Short term planning and unpredictability

2. Less local representation Mega ridings will be formed – won’t necessarily be working for you Candidates wouldn’t need to live in the ridings they represent Replace map with Orange/Green * Approximate riding distribution

3. Power to fringe groups New Zealand First Alternative for Germany Party linked to neo-Nazism 91 of 94 MPs elected off of party lists Largest Opposition party in Germany New Zealand First Anti-Immigration party Unelected Deputy Prime Minister holds a lot of power Wants to bring back child spanking

There are currently 27 registered political parties in BC B.C. New Republican Party British Columbia Social Credit Party B.C. Vision The Cascadia Party of British Columbia BC Citizens First Party Christian Heritage Party of British Columbia BC First Party Communist Party of BC BC Marijuana Party Cultural Action Party “nationalist party” BC NDP For British Columbia BC Progressive Party Rural BC Party BC Refederation Party Green Party Political Association of British Columbia British Columbia Action Party British Columbia Conservative Party The Vancouver Island Party British Columbia Excalibur Party Unparty: The Consensus-Building Party British Columbia Liberal Party Your Political Party of BC British Columbia Libertarian Party The Platinum Party of Employers Who Think and Act to Increase Awareness British Columbia Party British Columbia Peoples Party

4. Flawed voting process The rules: Politicians made the referendum rules Everything was decided in secret Unfair rules make it easy for prop rep to pass

The referendum process: Conducted by mail-in ballot only Mailed ballots must be received by November 30, not postmarked by that date Only 51% of cast ballots will determine the outcome of this important decision

The Ballot: Both questions do not need to be answered The answers to question 2 will be applied even if you vote for First Past the Post. Know what you are voting for. Do you understand the three proposed models of Proportional Representation?

Complicated Voting Procedure (which must be done correctly to be valid) To vote using a voting package, a voter in the referendum must do all of the following: review for accuracy the voter’s name and residential address printed on the certification envelope; mark the referendum ballot in accordance with the instructions referred to in section 12 (1) (e) [what is included in voting package]; place the referendum ballot in the secrecy sleeve provided; place the secrecy sleeve in the certification envelope provided and seal the certification envelope; complete the certification envelope by (i) providing the date of birth of the individual voting, and (ii) signing the declaration printed on the certification envelope; place the certification envelope in the return envelope provided; seal the return envelope; (h) deliver the sealed return envelope containing the voting materials referred to in the previous paragraphs to (i) Elections BC at the official address printed on the return envelope, (ii) a Service BC Centre, or (iii) another location designated by the chief electoral officer so that it is received by close of voting. (2) If it appears to the chief electoral officer that there is an error on a certification envelope received under subsection (1) the chief electoral officer (a) may give notice to the individual voting in the referendum, in the manner and within the time determined by the chief electoral officer, and (b) after considering submissions, if any, and examining the evidence, may correct the error.

Complicated Counting Procedure for Question 2 The referendum vote for question 2 must be counted as follows: (a)the referendum ballots must be counted in rounds; (b) after a round, if a proportional representation voting system receives the majority of votes from the continuing ballots, the counting is completed; (c) on the first round, (i) for each validly cast ballot, the first preference vote for each proportional representation voting system on the referendum ballot must be counted, and (ii) if the referendum ballot does not include a first preference vote or includes more than one first preference vote, that referendum ballot must not be counted; (d) if, after the first round, no proportional representation voting system receives a majority of votes, a second round must take place; (e) on the second round, (i) subject to subsection (f), the proportional representation voting system that received the fewest first preference votes must be eliminated, (ii) each continuing ballot must be transferred to the continuing proportional representation voting system that is second in the order of the voter’s preference, and (iii) the referendum ballot must be counted as a vote for that proportional representation voting system. (g) If, after the first round, (a) no proportional representation voting system receives a majority of votes, (b) two or more proportional representation voting systems receive the same number of first preference votes, and (c) that same number is the smallest number of first preference votes received by any one proportional representation voting system, the proportional representation voting system that will be eliminated will be decided by lot.