I’ve just voted. If you haven’t already done likewise, you have two hours left to do so.
I voted Yes.
I don’t think that AV is a great system – it’s no more proportional than FPTP. But it’s what’s on offer and it is slightly better than FPTP in two respects.
It helps to mitigate a situation where a candidate is elected to whom the majority of the electorate are opposed. e.g. a Labour candidate getting elected because the right wing majority in the constituency is split between UKIP and Conseratives. MPs that are at least tolerable to the majority of their constituents must be a good thing.
And it helps us to more accurately judge the support for medium and small parties. Under FPTP many people don’t vote Green, etc., because they see it as a wasted vote, and hence we have no idea how widespread the real support for these parties is. Better knowledge about what people really support must be a good thing.
I think we’re going to lose, and that we’ll be stuck with FPTP and (with a Lib-Dem collapse likely) a strengthened two party system for another generation. That seems like a bad thing.
I voted Yes as well, and for similar reasons.
I think now that the Fib Dems have mostly shut up shop, we are likely to see the Green Party emerge as a stronger force in local govt – some encouraging results already tonight in that direction.
The Yes campaign on AV was disastrous and paid the price. I think it’s the end for any consideration of AV in British politics probably forever – but not necessarily for electoral reform per se.