Ontario government considering ranked-ballots for municipal elections
It's good enough for the Oscars and the NHL year-end awards — maybe it makes sense for Ontario cities.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has confirmed that Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter will table a private member’s bill that would allow the province's municipalities to use a ranked-ballot system in future civic elections.
“I think it is an interesting idea. I think these ideas need to be discussed,” the premier said according to the Toronto Star.
“There is a private member’s bill that will be introduced into the legislature, and I really look forward to the debate.
“I don’t think we can just assume that the systems that have been in place for decades are the systems that necessarily have to stay in place. But I have to look at the merits.”
A ranked ballot voting system — also known as Instant Run-off Voting (IRV) — allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference on their electoral ballots. If a candidate fails to earn at least 50 per cent of the vote after the first ballot, then voters’ second and third choices are tabulated until a candidate reaches a majority.
Last year, Toronto city council voted in favour of such a system and has asked Queen's Park for its legislative blessing.
A non-profit group advocating for IRV says that in addition to various award shows, ranked ballots are used in at least a dozen American municipal elections.
"Instant runoff voting ensures that no one can win with less than 50 per cent of the vote. It eliminates the risk of 'vote splitting,' where two or more candidates ‘split’ the votes of a certain group," Ranked Ballot Initiative of Toronto (RaBIT) wrote on its website.
"It also means that no one has to vote strategically – you can vote with your heart each time. Runoff voting strongly discourages negative campaigning tactics, as candidates are trying to achieve ‘second choice’ status from all their opponents’ supporters. With ranked ballots, candidates aren’t forced to drop out of a race to prevent vote splitting."
The group adds that, in 2006, "seven incumbent Councillors were returned to office" in Toronto "even though most of their constituents didn't want them back."
Incidentally, Mayor Rob Ford received 47.1 per cent of the popular vote in the 2010 election.
Not everyone, however, sees the need for reform.
Maddie Di Muccio, a councillor in Newmarket, says she prefers our current first-past-the-post system, in part, because it requires political candidates to present bold ideas.
"In a ranked balloting system, the system actually favours someone who isn't so bold and doesn't alienate anyone else. This candidate demonstrates qualities that qualifies him to be everyone's second-choice. It favours the 'safe' candidate," Di Muccio, who is also a columnist with the Toronto Sun, told Yahoo Canada News.
"I don't like a system that gives an advantage to whomever is the popular second choice. This waters down the qualities of the candidate and we end up with leaders who are congenial but typically lack strong principles and conviction – qualities that the public are demanding in the current political era.
"I think the present FPTP system breeds a better leader. The purpose to a long election campaign like we have in municipal politics is to have the endurance race. Side deals among candidates don't happen. Everyone runs to win."
Wayne Smith, an electoral change advocate in Toronto, says the system needs to be reformed but a ranked-ballot isn't the answer. He prefers proportional representation — a system whereby the number of seats won by a party is proportionate to the number of votes received.
"Nothing wrong with giving voters more choice and municipalities more flexibility, but ranked ballots on their own won't do much to improve our democracy. Pretty much the same people get elected," Smith, who was formerly the executive director of Fair Vote Canada, told Yahoo.
"If we are going to go to the trouble of changing the voting system in Ontario municipalities, there should be a consideration of all options. The process should include extensive public education and consultation and be designed to succeed."
If the legislation passes, it likely won't be initiated in time for this year's elections.
Emails asking whether or not the opposition parties would support a ranked ballot system went unanswered by both the provincial NDP and Progressive Conservatives.
Yahoo News Canada - Latest News & Headlines
It's good enough for the Oscars and the NHL year-end awards — maybe it makes sense for Ontario cities.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has confirmed that Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter will table a private member’s bill that would allow the province's municipalities to use a ranked-ballot system in future civic elections.
“I think it is an interesting idea. I think these ideas need to be discussed,” the premier said according to the Toronto Star.
“There is a private member’s bill that will be introduced into the legislature, and I really look forward to the debate.
“I don’t think we can just assume that the systems that have been in place for decades are the systems that necessarily have to stay in place. But I have to look at the merits.”
A ranked ballot voting system — also known as Instant Run-off Voting (IRV) — allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference on their electoral ballots. If a candidate fails to earn at least 50 per cent of the vote after the first ballot, then voters’ second and third choices are tabulated until a candidate reaches a majority.
Last year, Toronto city council voted in favour of such a system and has asked Queen's Park for its legislative blessing.
A non-profit group advocating for IRV says that in addition to various award shows, ranked ballots are used in at least a dozen American municipal elections.
"Instant runoff voting ensures that no one can win with less than 50 per cent of the vote. It eliminates the risk of 'vote splitting,' where two or more candidates ‘split’ the votes of a certain group," Ranked Ballot Initiative of Toronto (RaBIT) wrote on its website.
"It also means that no one has to vote strategically – you can vote with your heart each time. Runoff voting strongly discourages negative campaigning tactics, as candidates are trying to achieve ‘second choice’ status from all their opponents’ supporters. With ranked ballots, candidates aren’t forced to drop out of a race to prevent vote splitting."
The group adds that, in 2006, "seven incumbent Councillors were returned to office" in Toronto "even though most of their constituents didn't want them back."
Incidentally, Mayor Rob Ford received 47.1 per cent of the popular vote in the 2010 election.
Not everyone, however, sees the need for reform.
Maddie Di Muccio, a councillor in Newmarket, says she prefers our current first-past-the-post system, in part, because it requires political candidates to present bold ideas.
"In a ranked balloting system, the system actually favours someone who isn't so bold and doesn't alienate anyone else. This candidate demonstrates qualities that qualifies him to be everyone's second-choice. It favours the 'safe' candidate," Di Muccio, who is also a columnist with the Toronto Sun, told Yahoo Canada News.
"I don't like a system that gives an advantage to whomever is the popular second choice. This waters down the qualities of the candidate and we end up with leaders who are congenial but typically lack strong principles and conviction – qualities that the public are demanding in the current political era.
"I think the present FPTP system breeds a better leader. The purpose to a long election campaign like we have in municipal politics is to have the endurance race. Side deals among candidates don't happen. Everyone runs to win."
Wayne Smith, an electoral change advocate in Toronto, says the system needs to be reformed but a ranked-ballot isn't the answer. He prefers proportional representation — a system whereby the number of seats won by a party is proportionate to the number of votes received.
"Nothing wrong with giving voters more choice and municipalities more flexibility, but ranked ballots on their own won't do much to improve our democracy. Pretty much the same people get elected," Smith, who was formerly the executive director of Fair Vote Canada, told Yahoo.
"If we are going to go to the trouble of changing the voting system in Ontario municipalities, there should be a consideration of all options. The process should include extensive public education and consultation and be designed to succeed."
If the legislation passes, it likely won't be initiated in time for this year's elections.
Emails asking whether or not the opposition parties would support a ranked ballot system went unanswered by both the provincial NDP and Progressive Conservatives.
Yahoo News Canada - Latest News & Headlines
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