Electoral system needs to be re-thought

OUR READERS WRITE

Just over 50% of those who voted in Dufferin Caledon have essentially no voice at Queen's Park for the next four years because of our electoral system of First-Past-the-Post (FPTP), winner-takes-all.

Sylvia Jones got elected to be our representative at Queen's Park with 49.7% of the popular vote. She will not represent the wishes of the 50.3% who voted for the other political parties.  

Provincially, for the next four years, we will have a false majority Progressive Conservative government chosen by only 40.8% of eligible Ontarians who voted, giving them 67% of the seats and 100% of the power to push through their policies with no need to consider the input from the Liberals, NDP, and Green Party, who together got the vote of 53.5% of those who voted.

As well, there was 5.6% of voters who voted for an Independent, and other political parties.

Altogether, it adds up to 59.2% of Ontarians who assumed the responsibility of electing a government, essentially silenced for the next four years. As well only 43% of eligible voters cast a ballot.

That is, 57% of eligible voters didn't bother to vote, many of whom felt their vote would not count or they have lost faith in our democratic process.

There is clearly a need to reconsider how we elect our political representatives, so that the Legislature is truly representative of the citizens of Ontario.  We need an electoral system that would make every vote count, and that would do away with strategic voting and low voter participation because of discouragement or loss of faith in our democratic system.

We can begin with a Provincial Citizens' Assembly appointed to consider alternate electoral systems that would ensure the voting intentions of all Ontarians are represented at Queen's Park.

Representation is everyone's democratic right, not just for those who voted for the PCO.

Franca De Angelis 

Dufferin-Caledon