Post by Admin on Nov 10, 2017 8:57:17 GMT
The Importance of Local Community Representation:
This focus on Local Community representation is critical to the democratic representation of the citizens. There is a loss of the citizen's representation if the citizen's Community is not represented. When the Local Community is not represented, the citizens feel non-represented and disenfranchised from their own Government. We need to keep the present single-MLA per Riding OR we will distance the citizens from their Government.
Proportional Representation in all its many forms reduces the Local Representation. At the very least PR dilutes the Local representation and in the extreme the Local representation is completely lost. PR's focus is on Representation of the Party (using the Popular Vote to justify the Party representation), the Local representation is a distant concern. PR does not consider the Voter's Community as an important part of the Voter's interests. PR in its many forms require multiple MLA Ridings in order to bring any resemblance of Proportionality to the Legislature. To accommodate the multiple MLAs the Ridings need to be considerably LARGER. The larger the Riding is, less Local Representation there is, with large enough Ridings the Local Representation becomes lost completely.
Instant Runoff Voting keeps the Local Community Representation. The Ridings (electoral districts) stay the same as they currently are - single-MLA per Riding. The Riding's Popular Vote is represented with the requirement that the elected MLA needs a MAJORITY of the Riding's Voter support (majority of votes cast). With the MAJORITY of Voters supporting the elected MLA, the MLA has a much stronger position to represent both the citizens of the Riding as well as the Local Community. IRV is NOT Proportional Representation.
This importance of the Local Community Representation (LCR) is demonstrated by the Irish system. Ireland has used STV-PR since 1920. They had large STV Ridings with a maximum of 10-Reps. per Riding. They experienced the loss of Local Representation even though they had a high level of Party Proportionality. They now have a maximum of 5-reps per Riding to regain a level of Local Representation. The Irish smaller Ridings reduced the level of Party Proportionality, but having a level of Local Representation was worth it. The Irish found a BALANCE between Party Proportionality and Local Representation.
IRV strengthens the Local Community Representation!