Just for the record - we look back on the facts.
AV = Alternative Vote
In order to get a true picture, we went to the Electoral Reform Society - this is from their website.
SYSTEMS GUIDE
Alternative Vote
The government was committed to holding a referendum on the Alternative Vote (AV).
AV represents a logical progression from first past the post. Preserving the traditional one member, one constituency, it ensures all MPs have a real mandate while delivering greater choice and eliminating the need for tactical voting.
Join us in saying Yes! to the Alternative Vote on 5 May...
AV represents a logical progression from first past the post. Preserving the traditional one member, one constituency, it ensures all MPs have a real mandate while delivering greater choice and eliminating the need for tactical voting.
What is the Alternative Vote?
The Alternative Vote (AV) is very much likeFirst-Past-the-Post (FPTP). Like FPTP, it is used to elect representatives for single-member constituencies, except that rather than simply marking one solitary 'X' on the ballot paper, the voter has the chance to rank the candidates on offer.
The voter thus puts a '1' by their first-preference candidate, and can continue, if they wish, to put a '2' by their second-preference, and so on, until they don't care anymore or they run out of names. In some AV elections, such as most Australian elections, electors are required to rank all candidates.
If a candidate receives a majority of first-preference votes (more people put them as number one than all the rest combined), then they are elected.
If no candidate gains a majority on first preferences, then the second-preference votes of the candidate who finished last on the first count are redistributed. This process is repeated until someone gets over 50 per cent.
As a membership organisation, we've asked our members whether we should offer our full support to winning the referendum on AV. The result was an emphatic YES! You can join the Society online today.
The case for AV
- All MPs would have the support of a majority of their voters. Following the 2010 election 2/3 of MPs lacked majority support, the highest figure in British political history.
- It retains the same constituencies, meaning no need to redraw boundaries, and no overt erosion of the constituency-MP link.
- It penalises extremist parties, who are unlikely to gain many second-preference votes.
- It eliminates the need for tactical voting. Electors can vote for their first-choice candidate without fear of wasting their vote.
- It encourages candidates to chase second- and third-preferences, which lessens the need for negative campaigning (one doesn't want to alienate the supporters of another candidate whose second preferences one wants) and rewards broad-church policies.
AV in Practice
- Leadership elections for Labour and Liberal Democrats
- Elections for UK parliamentary officials includingSelect Committee Chairs.
- Elections for the Academy Award for Best Picture
- Australian House of Representatives.
- Millions of people in membership organisations, businesses and trade unions internal elections.
- Most Student Union elections.
- Irish Presidential election.
- Numerous American City, Mayoral and district elections.
Also known as:
- Instant-runoff Voting (IRV), so-called because the process is similar to holding one runoff election after another, with the preferences determining how votes are re-allocated.
The Society's View
The Society has long argued that AV is the best system when you're out to elect a single winner. As a membership organisation, we've asked our members whether we should offer our full support to winning the referendum on AV. The result was an emphatic YES! You can join the Society online today.
