Mayor John Tory's Toronto

[JWBF]

Other than giving most of you nightmares for the rest of the week, my point was we shouldn't just write him off because of some illusion that ranked ballots will somehow have this inherent feature to lock people like Rob/Doug Ford out of office.

I for one am not saying ranked ballots will lock out candidates like the Fords. With the Ford's popularity and failed camping promises like underground transit, only a possibility would exist of a Ford getting elected, not a probability; losing with the use of ranked ballots would be a kick in the teeth.

 

[WislaHD]

The one redeeming factor of FPTP is that it generates more centrist and less extreme candidates.

It remains to be seen what kind of effect ranked ballots will have on that. I can see it going either way. In any case, it is a more democratic option for sure.

I feel we should be ready however for council to shoot down ranked ballots despite the wishes of their constituents. Too many of them realize with ranked ballots in place, their careers as career politicians will be over.

 

[CDL.TO]

The one redeeming factor of FPTP is that it generates more centrist and less extreme candidates.

Funnily enough, that only centrist candidates can stir up enough support to win is one of the most common criticisms of ranked ballots.

With enough splitting of the vote between centrist candidates, FPTP can allow extreme candidates to win with a small percentage of the vote.

 

[CodeMonkey]

The one redeeming factor of FPTP is that it generates more centrist and less extreme candidates.

Another redeeming factor of FPTP is quicker results. Ranked ballots can take more than a week to find out who a winner is, of course that depends on the number of candidates running for mayor.

 

[Videodrome]

Can't council just approve ranked ballots and exclude themselves from it?

 

[Bayer]

Why would ranked ballots take so long, since votes are electonically tabulated in the first place? The problem with FPTP is that Canadians are desensitized to the simple fact that it isn't actually democratic. For example, if you look at the latest federal election polling data on three hundred eight, you will see that a majority of Albertans would not vote for the Conservatives.

 

[CodeMonkey]

Why would ranked ballots take so long, since votes are electonically tabulated in the first place? The problem with FPTP is that Canadians are desensitized to the simple fact that it isn't actually democratic. For example, if you look at the latest federal election polling data on three hundred eight, you will see that a majority of Albertans would not vote for the Conservatives.

Toronto ballots are Scranton, so its quicker for the computer to count than reading written 1,2,3. As well, ranked ballots system allow you to vote more than just three candidates, unless we enforce only three candidates can be selected, something that still has to be worked out.

 

[Videodrome]

Yes, with 60+ candidates running every time, how can you rank them all?

 

[CodeMonkey]

Yes, with 60+ candidates running every time, how can you rank them all?

You don't have to, it's one of many options of how ranked ballots are setup around the world, others included mandatory selection of three minimal or maximum, some allow you to select only one candidate, while other ranked ballots systems don't. I'm still reading up on it all, it's a lot to take it, but all examples I've seen is always elections in a party system, something we don't have in Toronto or Ontario.

 

[CDL.TO]

Toronto ballots are Scranton, so its quicker for the computer to count than reading written 1,2,3. As well, ranked ballots system allow you to vote more than just three candidates, unless we enforce only three candidates can be selected, something that still has to be worked out.

The ranked ballots would also be scantron.

The current vote tabulating machines are due for replacement. That's part of why the ranked ballots issue has come up now, if they need to be replaced anyway this is the perfect time to replace them with ranked-capable machines.

 

[W. K. Lis]

A computer could easily read this and calculate the winner.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

I approve of this.

 

[JGHali]

The one redeeming factor of FPTP is that it generates more centrist and less extreme candidates.

Not really. Certainly in Canada FPTP has rewarded regionalist parties at the expense of those with broader support - the 1993 election is the textbook example, where the PCs won only 2 seats despite coming third in popular support, ahead of the Bloc which became the official opposition.

So, no, FPTP does not generate more "centrist" or "less extreme" candidates. In the non-partisan municipal context, this matters even less.

 

[animatronic]

Not really. Certainly in Canada FPTP has rewarded regionalist parties at the expense of those with broader support - the 1993 election is the textbook example, where the PCs won only 2 seats despite coming third in popular support, ahead of the Bloc which became the official opposition.

So, no, FPTP does not generate more "centrist" or "less extreme" candidates. In the non-partisan municipal context, this matters even less.

FPTP only encourages centrists in a two person race. The more viable candidates you have the smaller the population you need to target. In a four person race, for example, you really only need the support of about 1 in 3 people.

 

[Videodrome]

http://canadafreepress.com/article-disqus/73669

Read this if you want a good laugh.