[fvc-wat-disc] MMP on the radio

[Paul Nijjar]

--- Adam Glauser <adamglauser at wlualumni.ca> wrote:

> Yesterday, Howard Hampton was on "Here and Now", and while he was
> making some 
> pro-MMP arguements, I'm not sure they were all accurate.  For one,
> he 
> suggested that moving to MMP would greatly improve voter turnout,
> which as I 
> understand it is not supported by evidence from other MMP
> jurisdictions.  Can 
> anyone clear this up for me?

You are correct and Hampton is trying to win the campaign. 

We might expect voter turnout to rise a little under MMP (perhaps by
a few percent). But the overall turnout in all countries regardless
of voting system is dropping. 

If anything, it appears that countries with low populations are
correlated with higher turnouts. 

I do think that it is fair to say that electoral reform is one
component of making our democracy more healthy, and that it is hard
to forsee voter turnout rising dramatically in Canada when many
people clearly are unsatisfied with the limited choice in parties
they have now. 

- Paul

--
Paul Nijjar  http://www.fairvotecanada.org/WaterlooRegion
Next Referendum Info Session: Sept 18, 7pm
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