IT’S NOW OFFICIAL – OCTOBER 10 REFERENDUM IN ONTARIO! (April 15, 2007)

The Ontario Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform will recommend that Ontario adopt a mixed-member proportional (MMP) voting system. At their weekend session, Assembly members voted 94-8 in favour of recommending the MMP system, a decision that triggers an October 10, 2007, provincial referendum.

The final vote was the culmination of a seven-month process. The Assembly, a body of 103 randomly chosen Ontario voters, began its work last September. Assembly members studied electoral systems for three months and then held a two-month public consultation. For the past two months, Assembly members deliberated on whether to recommend a new system.

In February, the Assembly decided to develop detailed models for two alternative voting systems, both forms of proportional representation: mixed member proportional (MMP) and the single transferable vote (STV). In March, the Assembly selected MMP as its preferred alternative. In early April, the deliberation focused on whether to recommend their MMP model over the current system.

The Assembly’s MMP model will have 90 ridings and 39 at-large, or list, seats. Voters will be able to cast two votes, one for a local candidate and one for a party. The party votes determine what overall share of seats each party will have in the legislature. If a party deserves more seats than it wins in riding elections, that party also receives list seats to ensure it’s share of seats reflects its share of votes. List seats are filled by list candidates, nominated in advance of the election by each party.

For more information, visit the Ontario Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform website: http://www.citizensassembly.gov.on.ca