A couple of quick thoughts on how we might improve the voting experience for local government:
1. Mandate Trifecta STV as the universal form of voting. That is, STV/PV applies - except instruct voters to only record, and only count, their top 3 preferences: 1, 2 and 3. This Trifecta STV system would retain much of the benefits of STV/PV tabulation but be much less intimidating for voters (even though, strictly speaking, voters currently do not need to rank the entire list).
2. Abolish elections for DHB positions and move the representation/community voice functions to local authorities. Sadly, the elected representation on DHBs is Clayton's representation, with government appointees and control of finance making it pretty ineffective. And the DHB candidates are unknown to the community. In order to retain a local community voice in DHB governance and priorities, why not instead mandate it through local authorities? A public health committee of the local authority could provide the interface with the local community and local views could be channeled through that into DHB decision-making. In addition, it would strengthen the environmental health-public health nexus - and perhaps may also open the door to different types of folk wishing to be involved in local government.
Just some raw thoughts. None of the voting mode suggestions floating around are going to be a panacea to voting turnout. But we can still try and make sure the system is fit-for-purpose.
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Or, more radically, allow local communities to choose to manage and fund health locally through local taxation? Back this up with an overriding social right to (free) healthcare, so that a community could not opt out of provision entirely.
Just because you wanted to vote in a way which supports John Morrison doesn't mean the rest of us should be forced to.
If my vote had stopped counting after three preferences, I would have had no say in who got to be Mayor of Wellington. Why do you want to disenfranchise me?
And you're going to need a much better reason than lots of people don't want to rank all the candidates. Start by showing that most people don't already only rank some of the candidates.
Graeme: For the greater good, Graeme. For the greater good.
That was also one of the reasons why we denied women the vote for so long.
This trifecta STV would not, of course, disenfranchise you or deny you a vote.
You would still be entitled to a vote and, indeed, that vote would have the potential to transfer to 2 other candidates.
This form, I suggest, would be more workable and palatable for most vote. I agree we would need to explore the anecdotal concerns and test the thesis. But I think the idea has a lot going for it.
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