Vote now

[Azrael]

A much shorter and cheaper option would be to use STV, where a candidate must have 50% to win the seat.

If they don't get 50%, is the election re-run, or are votes "redistributed"?

If it's the former, sounds much like the idea I support (except that my suggestion would lead to far fewer re-runs), if it's the latter, I don't believe your vote should count for anyone besides the person for whom it was originally intended.

 

[liampreston]

If they don't get 50%, is the election re-run, or are votes "redistributed"?

If it's the former, sounds much like the idea I support (except that my suggestion would lead to far fewer re-runs), if it's the latter, I don't believe your vote should count for anyone besides the person for whom it was originally intended.

If there are, say, 3 councnillors up for election in a ward, and there are, say, 9 candidates, each voter has the right to vote up to 9 times (choosing in preference order 1,2,3,4 etc), with the votes redistributed through the preferences until the three are elected. (all of which having to hit the 50%)

 

[Azrael]

Ah, then I'll stick with my "none of the above" option, since you're not going to give all that much thought to your second choice vote, let alone you ninth! It could falsely legitimise the winner.

 

[liampreston]

But it is then upto the political parties (or independent candidates) to promote themselves and give enough information out there to the voters to allow electors to think about where each preference goes.

There is also, of course, the almost total stopping of "split voting" which has often seen Labour, or Tories, or even BNP, coming through crowded fields. I respect what you say about th kind of "donkey voting" where people rank candidates in any old order, but unlike FPTP you can express all factions of your beliefs on one ballot paper.

 

[Azrael]

Equally, the BNP could collect a lot of the secondary votes and come through themselves.

Parties can campaign hard as they like, but voters have limited attention spans. Personally I'd find it hard to graduate my dislike of parties from 1-9. It'll end up being pot luck in many cases.

It's an interesting idea, but I can see it being practical.

 

[Bernie Gunther]

To give the obvious quote from Animal Farm "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which. "

My advice which is worth nuffing - Don't vote - you know it only encourages them.

PS - "Joke" of the day - Eric Pickles (Tory Chair) in todays Indie on Sun - the Tory party "does not believe in class politics"

Ah, but it believes in them ...

 

[Nigel]

Probably Green this time round.
Out of all the groups on the progressive fringe where I live they seem to have shown the most maturity and if elected be best at the job.

 

[derf]

A lot of green votes showing up. The real election day is going to be interesting in the cities.
I believe that when it comes to voting day the two usual parties will still take the lead with my lot heading a new government but I can see a few MPs from the two big parties becoming ex MPs when they loose their seats to smaller groups including (sadly) the BNP.

 

[N_igma]

Sinn Féin, don't agree with everything they have to say but it's the best party to vote for if you're an Irish Nationalist.

 

[nino_savatte]

Personally. I'd prefer the IRSP to the Shinners....if I were interested in voting that is.

 

[JimW]

IWCA, imagining they stood a candidate in the constituency I have an absentee ballot in.

 

[articul8]

If there are, say, 3 councnillors up for election in a ward, and there are, say, 9 candidates, each voter has the right to vote up to 9 times (choosing in preference order 1,2,3,4 etc), with the votes redistributed through the preferences until the three are elected. (all of which having to hit the 50%)

technically, no - you don't have to have 50% - you have to reach the quota necessary for election [quota = (100% divided by no. of places) + 1)] - so if there were 3 candidates being elected, any one who reached 26% of the vote would be elected.

 

[Andy the Don]

LibDem, Green or SNP - of course it depends on the policies of the parties at the time of the general election.

 

[N_igma]

Personally. I'd prefer the IRSP to the Shinners....if I were interested in voting that is.

Well ideologically I'd be closer to the IRSP but unfortunately they're not organised here, are pretty small and are affiliated with the INLA who are less Republican Socialist and more feuding gangsters these days.

 

[articul8]

wasn't there always a bit of a gang feud element to the INLA, even when it had a bit more political content?

 

[N_igma]

wasn't there always a bit of a gang feud element to the INLA, even when it had a bit more political content?

Aye, IPLO and all those cunts but it's more to do with drugs and turf wars and all that bollocks nowadays. Interested in this Eirigi group, haven't organised here yet but if they do I'll take a look at them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eirigi

 

[danny la rouge]

No vote.

 

[kabbes]

Yeeees, the Lib Dems are a SHOE IN at the next election for sure. I am assuming that Urban reflects wider society, which I'm sure is a completely safe assumption.

 

[derf]

Yeeees, the Lib Dems are a SHOE IN at the next election for sure. I am assuming that Urban reflects wider society, which I'm sure is a completely safe assumption.

I'm not sure I can agree that U75 provides a cross section of the country as a whole but it may well provide one for London and major cities in general.
I'm pleased to see the way the thread has gone if not pleased to see my lot showing so badly.
I don't know if these sort of results will follow when it comes to the real thing but if it even comes close there are going to be some seriously pissed of people in the big two wondering what the hell happened.

I wonder if they will be able to work it out.

 

[kabbes]

I'm not sure I can agree that U75 provides a cross section of the country as a whole but it may well provide one for London and major cities in general.
I'm pleased to see the way the thread has gone if not pleased to see my lot showing so badly.
I don't know if these sort of results will follow when it comes to the real thing but if it even comes close there are going to be some seriously pissed of people in the big two wondering what the hell happened.

I wonder if they will be able to work it out.

No, Urban provides a cross-section of nothing. The real results will be nothing like this. The big two will win again. There is nothing to be done until it all breaks sufficiently that even the idea of a liberal democracy seems preposterous.