The Mixed Member Proportional Voting System
The electoral method of preference is the Mixed Member Proportional solution. It entails a two-tier election of the majority of legislative candidates (approximately 60%) in single-member districts. The remaining proportion is then voted off party lists at the state or national levels using a compensatory philosophy. The MMP policy eliminates disparities between a party's vote share and its equivalent number of parliamentary seats. The MMP voting system upholds the basic virtues of elections by increasing voter preference, improving electoral transparency, and maintaining stronger representation (Fairvoting BC).
Benefits of the MMP System for Canada
According to Fairvoting BC, The Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system of voting is the most appropriate for Canada due to various reasons. First is that it increases the chances of electing more women. At a time when women’s roles and participation in all spheres of life including politics is steadily rising, the MMP approach fulfills this progress. Both Germany and New Zealand are reliable indicators of this change with 36.5% and 31.4% women parliamentarians respectively unlike Canada, which has 26%. Additionally, the open lists used in the MMP system not only increases voter choice making each vote count but also makes the election process more appealing. Furthermore, it allows for the top performing members to attract a broad scope of supporters who don’t have to sacrifice their party interests.
Elimination of Regional Imbalances
While MMP does not pose significant challenges to the voter system integrity, its greatest function lies in the elimination of regional imbalances. The strategy ensures more MPs from various parties elected in different regions rather than a single party. As such, even though one party has more seats, the need for collaboration with other parties during the passage of the legislation would still be a requirement (Fairvoting BC). All these discussed aspects make the Mixed Member Proportional system the best for Canada.
References
Fairvoting BC. (n.d.). MMP & DMP. Retrieved from Fairvoting BC: https://fairvotingbc.com/join-the-campaign-for-fair-voting/fair-ways-bc-could-vote/mmp-dmp/
