Election Voting System
Councillor Shaw to move:
This County Council regrets that under the current first-past-the-post system for electing councillors:
1. A large proportion and usually the majority of the votes cast do not help to elect a councillor, meaning that many voters see their votes wasted over many successive elections.
2. This situation discourages participation in the electoral process since many people see no point in voting.
3. A party is able to gain an overwhelming majority on the Council despite receiving only a minority of the votes across the county, reducing voters’ faith in the fairness of elections.
In this light, this Council welcomes the new legislation agreed by the Welsh Assembly to allow councils to choose to change their voting system to the proportional Single Transferable Vote system, which is already used for local elections in Scotland and Northern Ireland. This Council calls on the Government to introduce similar legislation for England so that we can make a choice of the best system for the people of Devon.
Additional documents:
Decision:
In accordance with Standing Order 6(6) the Notice of Motion was referred, without discussion, to the Cabinet for consideration.
Minutes:
Councillor Shaw MOVED and Councillor Hodgson SECONDED
This County Council regrets that under the current first-past-the-post system for electing councillors:
1. A large proportion and usually the majority of the votes cast do not help to elect a councillor, meaning that many voters see their votes wasted over many successive elections.
2. This situation discourages participation in the electoral process since many people see no point in voting.
3. A party is able to gain an overwhelming majority on the Council despite receiving only a minority of the votes across the county, reducing voters’ faith in the fairness of elections.
In this light, this Council welcomes the new legislation agreed by the Welsh Assembly to allow councils to choose to change their voting system to the proportional Single Transferable Vote system, which is already used for local elections in Scotland and Northern Ireland. This Council calls on the Government to introduce similar legislation for England so that we can make a choice of the best system for the people of Devon.
In accordance with Standing Order 6(6) the Notice of Motion was referred, without discussion, to the Cabinet for consideration.