British Columbia electoral reform referendum, 2009
Encyclopedia
A second referendum on electoral reform was held in conjunction with the provincial election
on May 12, 2009. The BC-single transferrable vote
(BC-STV) electoral system was again voted on by the BC electorate. It would have required 60 per cent overall approval and 50 per cent approval in at least 60 per cent of the province's electoral districts in order to succeed. However, the referendum was defeated, with only 39.09% of voters provincially supporting the change.
initially scheduled the second referendum to be conducted alongside the 2008 municipal elections. On April 26, 2007, Premier Gordon Campbell announced that the referendum date would be shifted to May 12, 2009. Conducting a referendum alongside the May provincial election was estimated to cost between $1 million and $2 million. The chief electoral officer
had warned that a referendum in tandem with the municipal election would have cost up to $30 million. The chief electoral officer had also raised concerns regarding to adequacy of facilities, a shortage of trained voting officials, and differing voter eligibility requirements for local and provincial voters’ lists.
The post-election Speech from the Throne
identified this as a critical piece to be addressed for the second referendum: "One task that was never assigned to the Citizens' Assembly
was to show precisely how its proposed STV model might apply on an electoral map. This was arguably a design flaw in its terms of reference that in retrospect may have impacted how people voted in the referendum. Your government believes that establishing STV constituency boundaries may provide the public with a critical piece of information that was missing at the time of the referendum."
The ensuing electoral boundaries redistribution
prompted significant controversy for reasons largely unrelated to the BC-STV system, and on several occasions it seemed possible that the commission's work, including its STV recommendations, might be rejected altogether. Ultimately, a bipartisan agreement between the governing Liberals and opposition New Democrats saw the passage of the Electoral Districts Act, 2008 on April 10, 2008, which implemented, with modification, the report of the Electoral Boundaries Commission. 20 STV electoral districts returning a total of 85 MLAs were accordingly established.
"Should British Columbia change to the BC-STV electoral system as recommended by the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform?" Yes or No?
But in 2009 they were asked:
"Which electoral system should British Columbia use to elect members to the provincial Legislative Assembly?
▪ The existing electoral system (First-Past-the-Post)
▪ The single transferable vote electoral system (BC-STV) proposed by the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform"
.
Public funding will be available to groups who are supporters or detractors of both the single transferable vote (STV) and the current first-past-the-post election systems. Through the chief electoral officer, registered groups will be given funds to provide information and educational material about their positions. Each side will have access to a total of $500,000 in public funding and an equivalent amount will fund a neutral public information campaign.
On January 12, 2009, the Attorney General issued an information bulletin announcing the proponent and opponent groups. The officially recognized proponent group was Fair Voting BC, which operated under the campaign name 'British Columbians for STV', while the recognized opponent group is the No STV Campaign Society led by Bill Tieleman
, which will campaign under the name 'No STV'.
The Citizens' Assembly Alumni group represents the bulk of the original Citizens' Assembly members who are still playing an active role in promoting their recommendation; this group is working in close cooperation with Fair Voting BC.
Information on the operation of BC-STV and on the referendum process is available from Elections BC.
British Columbia general election, 2009
The 39th British Columbia general election was held on May 12, 2009 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The BC Liberal Party formed the government of the province prior to this general election under the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell...
on May 12, 2009. The BC-single transferrable vote
BC-STV
BC-STV is a proposed voting system recommended by the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform for use in British Columbia, and belongs to the Single Transferable Vote family of voting systems. BC-STV was supported by a majority of the voters in a referendum held in 2005 but the government had...
(BC-STV) electoral system was again voted on by the BC electorate. It would have required 60 per cent overall approval and 50 per cent approval in at least 60 per cent of the province's electoral districts in order to succeed. However, the referendum was defeated, with only 39.09% of voters provincially supporting the change.
Scheduling
The government of British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
initially scheduled the second referendum to be conducted alongside the 2008 municipal elections. On April 26, 2007, Premier Gordon Campbell announced that the referendum date would be shifted to May 12, 2009. Conducting a referendum alongside the May provincial election was estimated to cost between $1 million and $2 million. The chief electoral officer
Elections BC
Elections BC is a non-partisan office of the Legislature responsible for conducting elections in the Canadian province of British Columbia...
had warned that a referendum in tandem with the municipal election would have cost up to $30 million. The chief electoral officer had also raised concerns regarding to adequacy of facilities, a shortage of trained voting officials, and differing voter eligibility requirements for local and provincial voters’ lists.
Proposed electoral boundaries
In the 2005 referendum, voters cast ballots for or against BC-STV without knowing how the new system would affect their electoral ridings. This uncertainty led to voter concerns that, to create ridings large enough to support the multiple representatives preferred under BC-STV, ridings would be merged into unmanageably-large districts, particularly in the less densely-populated north and interior of the province.The post-election Speech from the Throne
Speech from the Throne
A speech from the throne is an event in certain monarchies in which the reigning sovereign reads a prepared speech to a complete session of parliament, outlining the government's agenda for the coming session...
identified this as a critical piece to be addressed for the second referendum: "One task that was never assigned to the Citizens' Assembly
Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform (British Columbia)
The Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform is a group created by the government of British Columbia, Canada to investigate changes to the provincial electoral system...
was to show precisely how its proposed STV model might apply on an electoral map. This was arguably a design flaw in its terms of reference that in retrospect may have impacted how people voted in the referendum. Your government believes that establishing STV constituency boundaries may provide the public with a critical piece of information that was missing at the time of the referendum."
The ensuing electoral boundaries redistribution
British Columbia electoral redistribution, 2008
The British Columbia electoral redistribution of 2008 was undertaken over a lengthy period that began in late 2005 and was completed with the passage of the Electoral Districts Act, 2008 on April 10, 2008. The redistribution modified most electoral boundaries in the province, and increased the...
prompted significant controversy for reasons largely unrelated to the BC-STV system, and on several occasions it seemed possible that the commission's work, including its STV recommendations, might be rejected altogether. Ultimately, a bipartisan agreement between the governing Liberals and opposition New Democrats saw the passage of the Electoral Districts Act, 2008 on April 10, 2008, which implemented, with modification, the report of the Electoral Boundaries Commission. 20 STV electoral districts returning a total of 85 MLAs were accordingly established.
Question
In 2005 voters had been asked:"Should British Columbia change to the BC-STV electoral system as recommended by the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform?" Yes or No?
But in 2009 they were asked:
"Which electoral system should British Columbia use to elect members to the provincial Legislative Assembly?
▪ The existing electoral system (First-Past-the-Post)
▪ The single transferable vote electoral system (BC-STV) proposed by the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform"
Campaigns
Legislation to allow a second referendum on an alternative electoral system, the Electoral Reform Referendum 2009 Act, was introduced in the provincial legislature on March 8, 2008 by Attorney-General Wally OppalWally Oppal
Wallace Oppal, Q.C. is a Canadian lawyer, former judge and provincial politician, who is currently serving as the Chancellor of the Thompson Rivers University...
.
Public funding will be available to groups who are supporters or detractors of both the single transferable vote (STV) and the current first-past-the-post election systems. Through the chief electoral officer, registered groups will be given funds to provide information and educational material about their positions. Each side will have access to a total of $500,000 in public funding and an equivalent amount will fund a neutral public information campaign.
On January 12, 2009, the Attorney General issued an information bulletin announcing the proponent and opponent groups. The officially recognized proponent group was Fair Voting BC, which operated under the campaign name 'British Columbians for STV', while the recognized opponent group is the No STV Campaign Society led by Bill Tieleman
Bill Tieleman
Bill Tieleman is a political columnist and a left-wing political strategist in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada known for his coverage of the BC Legislature Raids and for opposing a referendum on electoral reform....
, which will campaign under the name 'No STV'.
The Citizens' Assembly Alumni group represents the bulk of the original Citizens' Assembly members who are still playing an active role in promoting their recommendation; this group is working in close cooperation with Fair Voting BC.
Information on the operation of BC-STV and on the referendum process is available from Elections BC.