Clik here to view.
Little has been said about the positive effect of a Yes vote on electoral turnout. Since the 1950s voting numbers have generally fallen, with under 63% voting in last year's general election. While a change in the voting system is not a cure-all that would remedy the problem of low turnout, it would help create greater participation and trust with electors. It is well known that where campaigning is fiercest in marginal seats, turnout is nearly always greater. AV provides a possible first step in incremental reform of our voting system, which allows electors to vote for their favoured candidates, without fear of wasting their vote. It would also give political parties an incentive to campaign where, at present, they engage in almost no activity. We should not put up with FPTP, which last year allowed 420 MPs to be elected with less than 50% of the votes cast and many others with less than a third. Persisting with this rigid FPTP system could continue this downward trend in election turnout. Surely any change encouraging more people to vote must be good for democracy.
JL Stanfield
Merthyr Tydfil
