If Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps truly believes that she has been given a strong mandate to implement her vision for this city, and that her victory by a margin of more than 3,000 votes over her closest rival is something to boast about, then surely she would not have any problem with holding a referendum as soon as possible so that the 2022 mayoral election results will be determined by a ranked ballot, which was used to elect the mayor at the polls in London, Ontario on Oct. 22, 2018.
I cannot be the only voter in this city who has had enough with a first past the post electoral system that allows for a winner in an mayoral election in Victoria to be declared when that person has achieved less than 50 per cent plus 1 of the support of the electorate. Lisa Helps has been given a strong mandate for her vision of Victoria with only 43.13 per cent of the vote? That is utter nonsense.
While on the topic of a ranked ballot, why is this not one of the choices for the upcoming provincial referendum on electoral reform? The choices here will be a continuation of first past the post or one of three versions of proportionate representation. How about none of the above, and why is my preferred electoral method of ranked ballot not among the choices in the upcoming referendum?
This is democracy?
Trevor Amon
Victoria
