Prince Edward Island has voted for electoral reform and the mixed member proportional representation (MMPR) system.
The Guardian reports, “Elections P.E.I. released the results about an hour-and-a-half after electronic voting in the plebiscite was closed at 7 p.m. The ranked ballot saw 37,040 votes cast, which translates into a turnout of 36.46 per cent. The mixed member option earned 19,418 of those votes, about 52.42 per cent. The current first past the post system was the second most popular option, receiving 15,869 votes or 42.84 per cent.”
The Canadian Press notes, “Islanders were given five options to chose from, including an option to keep the existing first-past-the-post system. Voters were asked to rank some or all of the option on a one-to-five scale. Electronic voting began on Oct. 29 at noon and continued until Monday at 7 p.m. local time.”
The Council of Canadians PEI chapter is a member of the PEI Coalition for Proportional Representation.
While the results of the plebiscite are not binding, it is hoped the vote will result in a change in the province’s electoral system.
Chapter activist Leo Broderick comments, “This is indeed a night for rejoicing. Achieving a vote for Proportional Representation on PEI is quite an achievement. The Premier and all his MLAs as well as all the Conservative MLAs did not support Proportional Representation. The only MLA who supported PR was Green Party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker. We will get change with this vote.”
The next provincial election in PEI is scheduled for October 7, 2019.
Twenty-seven Council of Canadians chapters across the country have also been calling on the Trudeau government to implement proportional representation federally. The Liberals have set a deadline of May 2017 to introduce legislation on electoral reform. The next federal election is scheduled for October 21, 2019.
