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Election / Referendum Tidbits

If you live in the province on Ontario, don’t forget that there’s both a provincial election as well as a referendum tomorrow.

Here are some tidbits on tomorrow’s goings-on:

Torontoist has an entry on the election and referendum with answers to common election questions such as: What if I didn’t receive a Notice of Registration card in the mail? What if I show up to the polling place and I’m not on the list? What is the question being asked in the referendum?
From the National Post: Referendum? Lie back and think of Oscar. The Oscars as an example showing why a proportional representation system is better than the current “first-past-the-post” system.
Also from the National Post: Lorne Gunter’s incredibly lame-o article on why a proportional representation system would be bad. Among the many things he fails to realise is you’re supposed to sympathize “Dennis” from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, in spite of all his silly policy wonkery. To quote the lone comment to Gunter’s post: “Did your editor even read this nonsense?”
Two sites who couldn’t be more different agree on proportional representation: Z Magazine and Andrew Coyne.
Here’s the official referendum site.
Spacing has a collection of links on the referendum.
And finally, an interview with the MPP candidate with the most interesting and concise name: Zork Hun, Libertarian candidate for my riding.

Joey deVilla

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View Comments

Jacquilynne says:

October 9, 2007 at 2:26 pm

I'm not a fan of the proportional representation system that's been proposed. For one thing, because it's likely to create minority governments, and those are expensive and unproductive.

Personally, I like automated run-off, if we're going to have electoral reform. I really wish there was an option in the referendum to make it clear that while I dislike this option, I would like them to try again. I feel like voting 'no' is going to be interpreted as 'I like first past the post' when in fact, it more means 'I realize that if this electoral reform proposal gets accepted, we're not likely to see another one for 200 years, at which time I will presumably be dead or a head in a jar and won't care that much, and I'd really, really rather y'all tried again and picked something that makes sense.'
Chris Taylor says:

October 9, 2007 at 5:01 pm

I got three Notice of Registration cards, all with slight variations on my name. First time that has ever happened. I'm tempted to go down to the polling station and refuse the ballot three times.
Paul says:

October 9, 2007 at 10:44 pm

Refusing the ballot is a waste of time. I used to think it was some kind of a statement, too, until I found out that they don't record refused ballots. They are counted as ruined ballots, and nobody pays any attention to them ever again. Refusing your ballot is the same as not voting, which is the same as not caring. Go out and vote. Find something, some issue that will allow you to pick a side, and vote. Participate in our democracy. Part of the problem with our current system is voter apathy. If everybody voted, everybody would be much more confident that the winning party actually had a mandate. Voting is good. Never forget it.
Chris Taylor says:

October 10, 2007 at 11:20 pm

That's not quite true, Paul. Refused ballots are not tallied for federal elections; they are tallied for provincial ones.

I have no illusions about it being a statement of any kind. But as someone who has been involved with political parties and their campaigns since early childhood, I am pretty well versed in how the system can (and is) gamed by the major players.

Let's not forget the role of scrutineers, who are basically acredited partisans observing a polling station on behalf of their preferred party. They observe the ballot count made by the DRO (deputy returning officer) for that station. They are supposed to challenge ballots that are not clearly marked, improperly marked, etc. If you've been a scrutineer at enough of these things you will know that some operate out of sheer bloody-mindedness and will challenge even clearly-marked ballots (usually those marked for minor parties, not the Big Three) because they happen to think the individual or party the ballot is marked for are insignificant.

In theory this is supposed to be countered by the presence of other scrutineers, but a few polling stations (like mine, and Joey's) generally only have one scrutineer on site at any given time. Depending on who's scrutineer is on duty at poll close, and whether or not they are honest, you can lose a lot of legitimate ballots because they'll contest and bully the DRO into not counting minor-party ballots they don't like. And unless you reform the scrutineering system, this can just as easily happen under MMP as well.