Time for Ranked Ballots

[W. K. Lis]

Toronto Councillors are afraid.

Very afraid.

See link.

Toronto councillors not swayed by poll showing voters support ranked ballots
A new poll shows nearly 60 per cent of voters in Toronto are in favour of ranked ballots. Council? Not so much.

 

[tripwire]

I'm really disappointed about that. Ranked ballots just makes so much sense, I guess I foolishly believed that the councillors would see the big picture vs their own benefits.

 

[Johnny Au]

There should be a referendum for ranked ballots in Toronto.

 

[Skeezix]

The fundamental flaw is that this decision should never have been put in the hands of Council. They will act in their self-interest.

 

[Armour]

There should be a referendum for ranked ballots in Toronto.

Would it make any difference? Evidently, most voters are content with the status quo (considering that all but one imbumbent were reelceted during the last election). What would make voters suddenly want their respective councillors to have limited time in office?

 

[BurlOak]

The fundamental flaw is that this decision should never have been put in the hands of Council. They will act in their self-interest.

The stupidest thing the province can do is allow each municipality to decide whether they want ranked ballots. That way, as you say, they will all act in self interest.

If its a good idea, do it province wide. If its not a good idea, stick with the status quo.

 

[CodeMonkey]

There should be a referendum for ranked ballots in Toronto.

If there is an referendum, it would likely be a ballot question in the 2018 election, and if it passes, ranked ballots won't appear until the next election in 2022. So, we'll have to wait another four years (six if you count from today) before we ever see ranked ballots.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Speaking of referendums (repeated a prior note):

On June 23, 1969, there was a referendum to determine the new name of the amalgamated Fort William and Port Arthur. The results were:

"Lakehead" 15,302
"The Lakehead" 8,377
"Thunder Bay" 15,870​

It was a "first past the post" result, and "Thunder Bay" won. I would expect a much different result if the referendum used a ranked ballot instead. Most of the voters did not want "Thunder Bay", but got stuck with that name.

 

[salsa]

Speaking of referendums (repeated a prior note):

On June 23, 1969, there was a referendum to determine the new name of the amalgamated Fort William and Port Arthur. The results were:

"Lakehead" 15,302
"The Lakehead" 8,377
"Thunder Bay" 15,870​

It was a "first past the post" result, and "Thunder Bay" won. I would expect a much different result if the referendum used a ranked ballot instead. Most of the voters did not want "Thunder Bay", but got stuck with that name.

I think they made the right choice. "Lakehead" doesn't appeal to me.

 

[Skeezix]

Same thing happened in Kanata. Kanata was an amalgamation of March Township and parts of Goulbourn and Nepean townships in 1978, intended to create one municipality for all the nascent suburbs west of Ottawa's greenbelt. The interim name for the municipality was Hazeldean-March, combining the two most well-known community names, and a referendum was held in conjunction with the municipal elections in November 1978. There was much complaining at the time that the name choices on the ballot (Kanata, Hazeldean and Kairnwood) were picked to ensure that Kanata was chosen, and Kanata did controversially win by 102 votes even though it was most likely not the first choice of the majority.

 

[animatronic]

In contrast, Newfoundland used runoff ballots to select Confederation, even though it wasn't the first choice on the first ballot:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_referendums,_1948

 

[Videodrome]

http://ipolitics.ca/2016/06/07/ontario-to-allow-ranked-ballots-in-municipal-elections/

The time is now for ranked ballots!

 

[AndreaPalladio]

Yes, but what's everyone's second choice?

 

[W. K. Lis]

Yes, but what's everyone's second choice?

Rule by one, a dictatorship?

 

[Videodrome]

http://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do?postingId=21905&language=en

The Provincial guidelines for ranked ballots.