Vote yes to AV

On May 5th I'll be voting yes to introducing the Alternative Vote system for United Kingdom parliamentary elections. This isn't because I have a desire to see Lib Dems make deals with the devil at every election, but because I believe it is a better system to choose the best representative for any constituency.

First Past the Post (FPTP) is an ideal method for finding the fastest person to run 100m - first one across the line wins - or selecting your dessert at a restaurant - you select the one you want the most. But an MP doesn't represent YOU, he or she represents everyone in your constituency. I don't want the 'best' politician to win - the one with the most money to spend on leaflets, or the smoothest operator. I want an MP who can represent the views of a broad cross-section of the constituency, including mine, rather than 30% of people who subscribe to his party's ideas.

Choosing an MP is more akin to choosing a pizza to share with friends. You know what toppings you'd like the most, as well as a selection you'd accept to find a pizza everyone is happy with. As anyone who's ordered a pizza with friends will know, you might not end up with your favorite topping. But, you'll usually get one you're happy to eat, rather than being left hungry.

[Currently], rather than expressing their preference for a particular particular view, people are forced to reject the one they really can't stand winning

Alternative Vote (AV) provides this for electing MPs – you list your favourite, then the others you're happy with (and/or willing to tolerate in order). If you really don't want any of the remaining ones, you're free to leave it blank.

The current FPTP system encourages tactical voting, where people feel the need to vote just for the parties who could win under FPTP. Rather than expressing their preference for a particular particular view, people are forced to reject the one they really can't stand winning. It should not be this way. AV allows voters the freedom to vote positively according to their views first, while still expressing a negative preference by putting the party they really don't want elected last, or not putting a number by them at all.

The 'No to AV' campaign are peddling some fairly odd myths about the system, which shows they just don't understand it in the first place. The third placed person does not 'win'. It is not a race, where the third placed person is given the gold medal. That is nonsense. The person elected may have fewer 1st preference votes than two other candidates, but if they have a broader base of support (more people find them palatable than the other two candidates), then they could be elected. Isn't this how it should be?

Also, everyone's votes are counted equally. Votes are transferred, but not duplicated. If you vote for, say, Labour as your first preference, but they do not get 50%, your vote is carried to the next round. Someone voting for a smaller party, say the Green Party, may have their votes transferred to the Labour. In the second round, both votes are still in play - no-one has voted twice. Green Party voters don't suddenly decide the election because their candidate is eliminated - both Labour and Green voters would decide, in this case.

Please give this country a voting system which allows voters to express their true preferences, and which elects MPs on the basis of compromise, rather than one based on tactical voting, bickering and flip-flopping policies. Vote Yes to AV on May 5th.