For Canadians (and Americans) interested in electoral reform, British Columbia is having a (second) referendum in May to decide whether to switch from the outdated first-past-the-post system to a version of Single Transferable Vote.
In the first referendum on electoral reform, held in 2005, a majority voted in favour of change -- but the "Yes" side did not meet the necessary 60% threshold set by the provincial government in order for the reforms to be passed. Hopes are high that this time the proposal will be successful.
But there's some well-funded resistance to change circling the wagons. So the British Columbians for BC-STV (who are also being supported by Fair Vote Canada) are asking for help in countering the anti-reformers' ad campaign.
This crossed my inbox yesterday;
Dear friends,
The TV attack ads against electoral reform in BC start today.
Yesterday the small, but well funded, campaign of a few backroom strategists who want to keep the system the way it is launched their first TV ad. In a deceiving soft tone they call electoral reform too complicated for voters (how insulting) and actually try to claim that our current system provides accountability to voters. It’s a sham, but we know they plan to run this ad a lot on TV because they have no supporters on the ground to sell their message of fear and confusion and will be spending all of their money on attack ads.
We want you to watch their ad – and then donate to help the BC-STV campaign fight them on the airwaves:
http://www.youtube.com/...
We know we can beat these ads – but we need your help. We have our opponents handily beat on the ground with literally thousands of volunteers, lawn signs, and brochures as well as speakers and letter writers active in every corner of the province and from every political background.
We had the support of 58% of British Columbians in the last referendum. Our opponents have only one advantage - because they haven’t spent any money campaigning, they can dump every penny they have running this ad.
If we are able to compete with them fairly on the airwaves – we will win. You can help make that happen.
Please visit www.stv.ca and make a significant online donation today, or print the form and mail a cheque today to British Columbians for BC-STV.
As you know the BC referendum will have a defining effect on the electoral reform movement in North America. We can’t let a few backroom politicians destroy the work of thousands of hardworking average people who want real change.
We believe that if we can raise $250,000 between now and the end of the campaign we can run them off the airwaves. Any contribution you can make will make a huge difference. Thank you for your consideration and support!
Best regards,
Roy Ball
Vice President,
Fair Voting BC
When I last checked, it looked like the campaign was about $38,000 short of their goal of $250,000.
Oh, and here's the small print;
British Columbians for BC-STV is a non-profit organization involved in political lobbying. Donations are not tax deductible.
But as far as I'm aware, as they are not a political campaign they can accept donations from outside the province and country -- Their donations page looks like it allows for our American friends to contribute as well.
EDITED TO ADD; It looks like the Proportional Representation Society of Australia has launched an appeal to its membership to donate to British Columbians for BC-STV;
At the 12 May 2009 referendum on electoral reform that will coincide with the next provincial elections, the voters of Canada’s British Columbia have a chance to change their antiquated and unfair first-past-the-post system to BC-STV in multi-member electorates (closely resembling our Hare-Clark systems in Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory).
Thanks largely to the generosity of the Victoria-Tasmania Branch, a transfer of over $2,000 is about to be made to the campaign for introducing effective voting to North America in a prominent manner.
I am now writing to individual members of Branches as well as other Branches to solicit further donations that might be pooled and despatched to British Columbia around the end of this month. These can either be sent to:
Rob Forster
Treasurer, Proportional Representation Society of Australia