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Proportional representation would prevent false majorities

Gaining a majority of the popular vote is a rarity in B.C. politics
Black Press Media
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BC NDP Premier John Horgan, here with Green Party leader Andrew Weaver, has rather fragile control of the legislature. A proportional representation voting system would at least prevent what one reader calls “false majorities.” Black Press file photo

Re: Three-seat party with power

If a party can actually win a majority of the popular vote, as Gordon Campbell and the BC Liberals did in 2001, then they’ll have a majority in the legislature. Proportional representation doesn’t prevent majorities, it prevents false majorities.

The last BC Liberal ‘majority’ government was won with only 44 per cent of the vote. The last B.C. NDP ‘majority’ government was won with only 39 per cent of the vote. Those aren’t majorities. Those are parties claiming a mandate based on a flaw in our electoral system.

In the last 10 B.C. elections, nine resulted in a majority government. Disturbingly, eight of those elections had a party gain unconditional power, despite the fact that most voters wanted someone else in charge. They were false majorities.

The electoral system is broken in a way that allows false majorities to rule. Proportional representation fixes this.

Bob Warwick

Victoria