Ranked Ballot Consultation
Ontario is considering changing the municipal voting rules to permit ranked ballots. As part of this, they are proposing the use of Single Transferable Vote (STV) for multi-member elections like Kitchener Regional Council (where many candidates run and we elect a total of four).
The province is currently soliciting feedback for this proposal here: http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page11120.aspx . If you support electoral reform in general or proportional representation in particular, then please click the link and indicate your support for ranked ballots and STV. This is the most influential thing you can do to get proportional representation implemented locally, and it is the most important initiative since the 2007 referendum. Why? Because it isn't just some politician's promise. It could actually happen. If people are introduced to proportional representation municipally, they will see that PR is not so scary, and the chances of us getting it adopted provincially or federally will rise dramatically. So I really really hope that as many of us as possible will indicate our support for this initiative.
No, STV is not my favourite voting system overall, and yes ranked ballots introduce some new problems. It doesn't matter. Making some change towards improved systems is much more achievable than waiting for the perfect system to come along. Let's not blow this. Please submit your feedback to the government, and please help spread the word.