Ranked ballot advocates mobilizing support in Ontario
Politicians and community groups are laying groundwork they hope will lead councils to opt for a new voting system.

thestar.com
April 5, 2016
By David Rider

Politicians and community groups in Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa and London have started mobilizing support to radically alter the way their residents elect mayors and city councils.

Toronto city councillor Joe Mihevc, a staunch advocate of a switch to ranked ballots, said he plans to trigger a council vote this fall on city staff immediately laying groundwork to use the system in the 2018 civic election.

“Let’s get ’er done,” Mihevc said Tuesday, one day after Municipal Affairs Minister Ted McMeekin announced legislation to allow cities and towns to ditch the old “first past the post” system in favour of ranked ballots.

McMeekin said he was disappointed Toronto council last fall flip-flopped on the previous council’s support for the change, and hoped public opinion will help convince councillors to change their minds yet again.

“I’m very confident it will pass,” Mihevc said, noting rookie councillor Justin Di Ciano’s successful Oct. 1, 2015 motion to reject ranked ballots came out of the blue during an evening session.

“Now people will be more thoughtful. Also, a lot depends on Mayor Tory - he will be a crucial vote here and I imagine he will put his shoulder into supporting it.”

In an interview Monday from California, Tory called ranked ballots - where voters rank their choices by preference, rather than vote for a single candidate - a “breath of fresh air” that should boost diversity on Toronto’s mostly white, male council and see fewer incumbents coast back into office.

“I will vote for it if it comes back up again,” Tory said.

Di Ciano said he also wants to scrap the current system, which sees some councillors elected with a small fraction of the vote, but he will fight ranked ballots, which he argues will see more incumbents overstay their welcome.

“We all want the same thing but this strategy is just putting lipstick on a pig, replacing people’s first choice with their second choice,” said Di Ciano, who favours a proportional representation system where citizens have multiple representatives, some representing their local area and some the city at large.

In London, Councillor Josh Morgan said he was elected in 2014 campaigning on a switch to ranked ballots.

“I’m confident that the community will be supportive and I’m hopeful that London will be one of the first to sign up,” he said, adding the city needs to engage with residents to explain the system and its potential benefits.

In Ottawa, the fact that Mayor Jim Watson strongly opposes ranked ballots - he told reporters Tuesday it would “water down” people’s vote - is not deterring reform advocates.

“We have a strong movement here still and there are a number of councillors here who support ranked ballots and it’s growing,” said Colum Grove-White of electoral reform group Ottawa123.

Hamilton Councillor Sam Merulla argues ranked ballots will increase voter turnout and ensure politicians have a real mandate because a winner must get more than 50 per cent of voters’ first, second- or third-place choices.

“Everybody claims they vote yet we get only 40 per cent turnout,” Merulla said, noting Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger is open to election reform.

“This is not at all top-of-mind for people so our job now is to get residents excited and engaged.”