Electorate could be overwhelmed by candidates

The Editor,

Come May 17, 2005, we are once again headed to the polls in B.C. This time, we will be asked to vote for our choice of candidate and we will also be asked, "Should British Columbia change to the BC-STV electoral system as recommended by the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform?"

We are faced with the problem of voters not going to the polls to exercise what I believe to be their duty as British Columbians. If statistics are correct, only 50 per cent of eligible voters will be casting their ballots and possibly even less of those will know they will be asked to cast a second ballot, let alone really knowing what the referendum actually means. This scares me!

The City of Surrey is made up of seven electoral districts (including Surrey-White Rock). There are more than 40 registered political parties in the province of B.C. If we choose to change our electoral system to STV, you will be heading to the polls with the possibility of having more than 240 names on a ballot.

If Surrey were to change to STV and if all the registered political parties ran candidates in what would be a conglomerated district, we would either only vote for the people we recognize or we would be faced with ranking our most favourite to our least favourite candidate on a ballot of potentially more than 240 names. Traditionally there are approximately six to eight political parties represented on a ballot; however, that is not a certainty. The numbers alone are overwhelming to me.

Then I think, if we elect six or seven representatives for the new conglomerated Surrey district, who do I call or write to when situations arise that require my MLA's attention? Do I draw a name from a hat? We all know that constituents in White Rock have different issues than constituents in Whalley, and yet they will be represented by six or seven MLAs who are responsible for all of Surrey.

It has been said that the STV system would give independent candidates and "smaller" parties the opportunity to hold seats if they won the popular vote. Who? And I mean who of these smaller parties or independents has the money to campaign all across Surrey? Get serious! I can only imagine how much money it would cost in signs alone. (and we all know how many signs go up at election time).

Do I have all the answers? Absolutely not. But I do have all the questions, and I will ask them - will you?

S. Drew
Surrey

posted on 04/25/2005