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

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. ITALY GREECE BELGIUM CANADA

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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

14. 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?

15. 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.

16. 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.