Time for Ranked Ballots

[Skeezix]

Using federal wards does not necessarily require a reduction in the number of Councillors. Reducing Council to 25 wards to match federal ridings wasn't particularly popular among the public during the consultation process. But if the ridings were split in half, as they are now, there would be additional Councillors. This approach was, reportedly, more popular during the public consultations than the 25-ward option, although not with everyone (increasing the number of Councillors by 6 wasn't particularly popular among some members of the public either), and it still raises the issues I mentioned above. According to the final report, members of Council weren't particularly enamored with the 50-ward option either.

 

[salsa]

Executive committee votes 3-6 against possible independent panel to explore ranked ballots. It's dead.

 

[animatronic]

Executive committee votes 3-6 against possible independent panel to explore ranked ballots. It's dead.

Chicken shit wankers

 

[salsa]

Councillor Aisnlie has a motion asking council to reconsider ranked ballots for 2022, which was killed by executive.

 

[salsa]

And the motion failed 17-22. Ranked balloting in Toronto is now dead for good.

 

[Johnny Au]

We should hold a referendum to see what the people decide.

 

[ADRM]

What a bunch of gutless, power-hungry swine we have representing parts of the city. Shame on them.

Most councillors who got less than 50% of the vote in the last election voted against ranked ballots last night. From Jennifer Pagliaro, here is the list of the councillors who voted against the study, with those who received less than 50% of the vote last time highlighted. If they're your councillor, write to them and tell them you're disgusted:

And here is where you can access their contact info: http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/c...nnel=c3a83293dc3ef310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

 

[Johnny Au]

We know why ranked balloting is defeated: the current system favours incumbents and long-time but poorly performing city councillors would favour the current system who would easily be voted out using ranked balloting.

Ranked balloting is more democratic, which is why I suggested the referendum to implement it, since it should be up to the people to decide the future and not certain city councillors who don't want to be voted out.

 

[ADRM]

Yep. Greb won the last election with 17% of the vote. Seventeen percent.

 

[W. K. Lis]

The Councillors are afraid, very afraid that going with ranked ballots, they'll be putting themselves out of office.

We must have a referendum question of ranked ballots, citywide. The question:

Do you want to change Toronto election law to allow voters to rank their choices of candidates for Mayor, Councillor, and School Trustee?

Yes___ No___”?

Time to bypass city council entirely.

 

[rbt]

We must have a referendum question of ranked ballots, citywide. The question:

Time to bypass city council entirely.

AFAIK there has never been a binding referendum in Canada. They've all been plebiscites.

In order to hold a referendum on this subject you may need to reopen the constitution first to actually create the ability to have a referendum with actual decision making authority.

Might be easier to run a couple dozen single-issue candidates against councillors who voted against this, hold a binding vote in council, then have everyone mass resign and run a 20+ ward by-election under the new rules.

 

[animatronic]

AFAIK there has never been a binding referendum in Canada. They've all been plebiscites.

In order to hold a referendum on this subject you may need to reopen the constitution first to actually create the ability to have a referendum with actual decision making authority.

That's not correct. They just have to pass a law calling for the referendum and binding themselves to the result.

 

[W. K. Lis]

How does one get any referendum question for the next city election? Could the province do that for us?

 

[animatronic]

How does one get any referendum question for the next city election? Could the province do that for us?

Absolutely. The City of Toronto Act and Municipal Elections Act are provincial statutes. The only problem is that the province devolved many powers to Toronto so the convention is that the province isn't supposed to interfere. But a case can and should be made that this is the right thing to do.

 

[rbt]

That's not correct. They just have to pass a law calling for the referendum and binding themselves to the result.

The statement was with regard to bypassing council. Asking council to pass a new law isn't bypassing council.

Also Canada has never had a binding referendum; they've all been advisory. There's no reason for Toronto Council to feel forced to be the first.