BC GOVERNMENT NEWS:
The BC government is introducing legislation to allow British Columbians the opportunity
to vote in a confirming referendum on electoral reform, if a majority votes in
this fall’s referendum to change B.C.’s voting system.
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| BC Attorney General David Eby |
The legislation will fulfill a commitment made
by the Province, based on recommendations from the Attorney General’s report on
electoral reform.
“It
will be up to British Columbians to decide whether to change our province’s
voting system, and it should also be up to British Columbians to decide whether
to keep a new voting system after they’ve tried it,” said David Eby,
Attorney General.
“By
legislating a confirming referendum after two general election cycles, our
government is giving voters a safety valve to revert to the previous voting
system after an opportunity to actually experience both systems.”
This fall, voters will decide whether to keep
British Columbia’s existing First Past the Post voting system, or change to a
system of proportional representation. If voters choose to change the system,
the proposed amendments to the Electoral Reform Referendum 2018 Act would
require a confirming referendum on whether to keep the new system.
“This
confirming referendum would allow British Columbians, not politicians, to have
the final say on the voting system,” said Eby.
“If,
during either referendum, voters decide that the current system is preferred,
the Government of B.C. will be bound by law to respect that decision.”
These amendments require that government
conduct a confirming referendum within 13 months after two provincial general
elections that use the chosen proportional representation voting system. For
example, if scheduled general elections occur in October 2021 and October 2025,
the confirming referendum would occur by Nov. 30, 2026.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Elections BC information on the 2018 referendum on electoral reform: https://elections.bc.ca/referendum/
Attorney General’s report and recommendations for the 2018 referendum on electoral reform:
https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/271/2018/05/How-We-Vote-2018-Electoral-Reform-Referendum-Report-and-Recommendations-of-the-Attorney-General.pdf
Recent changes to the Election Act: https://news.gov.bc.ca/15423
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