Council begins ‘brand new conversation’ on ranked ballots amid deadline

After hearing from Londoners, councillors are starting fresh on whether or not to implement a ranked ballot system for the 2018 municipal election.

According to city staff, a decision to change the current first-past-the-post system must be made by May 1st.

In a 3-3 tied vote at the Corporate Services Committee meeting, councillors defeated a motion to have the city clerk forward the necessary by-law to implement a ranked ballot system to the special council meeting before the deadline.

Approximately 50 people gathered at City Hall to share their opinion on the best system moving forward for London.

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Ranked ballots allow voters to place candidates in their order of preference, ensuring the winning candidate gets 50 per cent of the vote.

Some residents felt that the change to ranked ballots would be expensive and confusing, and expressed concern over the plan lacking information on how the system has worked out for other municipalities such as San Francisco and Indianapolis.

“[Let’s] keep it simple. That’s my story on it,” Gale Cooper said. “I don’t like to be the guinea pig. [This system] could cost us a million bucks before it is all figured out. We have no idea and nobody will even guarantee it.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "[Let's] keep it simple. That's my story on it," Gale Cooper said. "I don't like to be the guinea pig. [This system] could cost us a million bucks before it is all figured out. We have no idea and nobody will even guarantee it."

However, those in favour of the new system said it would be less confusing and well worth the expense for democracy. They also pointed out that the technology to change the system is available, and that it represents an opportunity for London to be a leader for Canada in electoral reform.

“First-past-the-post is the absolute worst system that can ever be invented and we Canadians cling to it,” Vicky Van Linden said. “There is something about Canada – fine people though we are – that seems to be so stuck in the mud and resistant to change.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "First-past-the-post is the absolute worst system that can ever be invented and we Canadians cling to it," Vicky Van Linden said. "There is something about Canada - fine people though we are - that seems to be so stuck in the mud and resistant to change."

In addition to those for and against changing the ballot system for the next election, some residents shared other options the city should consider.

“There is another system out there. It’s a theoretical system that hasn’t been tried yet and it [solves some of the problems prominent in ranked ballots] while maintaining representation,” Elizabeth Michaels said. “It does not require a lot of resources because it is additive. You can add the votes from various sectors and put them together. You do not need an advanced algorithm that can take into account every vote at the same time. The systems exist in pop culture and various areas, they just haven’t been applied to voting yet.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There is another system out there. It's a theoretical system that hasn't been tried yet and it [solves some of the problems prominent in ranked ballots] while maintaining representation," Elizabeth Michaels said. "It does not require a lot of resources because it is additive. You can add the votes from various sectors and put them together. You do not need an advanced algorithm that can take into account every vote at the same time. The systems exist in pop culture and various areas, they just haven't been applied to voting yet."

During a brief recess, Coun. Phil Squire met with Michaels to hear more about the alternative.

According to city staff, changing to ranked ballots would come with a price tag of approximately $322,000 plus additional costs.

“We need to make sure that the community is ready to proceed in this direction in 2018,” Brown said. “To me, it’s not a question of whether we move towards ranked balloting or not, the question is when: 2018 or 2022?”