AV referendum

[Martin]

The problem with AV is that it is not PR.

Indeed, and consequently it has been much harder to sell as a fairer system.  I expect the No vote to win.  What was it about the electorate that David Cameron didn't trust in nt allowing us a referendum on tru PR? 

[Boudi]

Heard as dreadful advert on radio where they played a horserace where the horse who came in third won.  Now, I'm no expert, but I don't think that they are crediting us with any intelligence whatsoever.
I think I'm placing a vote, rather than a bet....but then, who knows, perhaps they could add the element of excitement by including a flutter?

[ecuworrier]

I think the reasoning behind the compromise is that the parties are already familiar with AV as they all use it to elect their leaders. this would get more within politics on board the AV campaign from the start.
AV, I fear will turn more people off voting at all, which in it's self might not be a bad thing.

it's not actually the system they use at all....  in the leadership contest for the tory party (i think labour has a more complex system anyhow) they use the same system as the french use to elect their president... and what happens there is that there are rounds of voting which eliminate candidates bit by bit... so when candidates are eliminated there is a fresh voting phase giving folks the opportunity to vote for someone different as it happens! i mean one can fall out with one's initially favoured candidate pretty quickly... once one hears them on the hustings trail once too often!... now that would be expensive! especially as some constituencies have loads of candidates!

the AV system means that you vote once everyone votes once and within that framework one can choose candidates in order of preference but one does not need to vote for all of them the number of candidates treated by order of preference will vary....  then every round of counting counts them in in order of preference eliminating the least prefered choices at every level... thus one round of voting might elect a single MP who gathers 50% of the submitted vote.. or all the rounds exhausted might get a MP who polls the most eg 39%....

i heard some stuff on the radio that the libdems ie the yokels of the party are a little pissed off that Gordie offered Clegg referendum on pr while Cameron offered Clegg referendum on AV.....  maybe clegg doesn't understand the difference... he does seem a bit of a wet squib intellectually....  it is though a bit surprising for that remark to have been made... cos the libdems are supposed to have a lot of participation in decision making....  but hey we got a vote on AV coming up and me is not that enthusiastic

GOD BLESS!

Peace and Love,

[ecuworrier]

so ... did you vote?

how was it for you?

me i voted a yes to AV simply cos i want the dialogue to continue

GOD BLESS!

Peace and Love,

[Boudi]

I voted yes.  I also voted for the Conservative candidate.  Oops.  I had to re-spoil my paper!

[Martin]

In the end I voted Yes.   Partially because I respect Jonathan Bartley, and partly because I think that the introduction of the AV system might possibly make getting something truly proportional a more likely possibility.... but I am not sure even now. And partially because the No campaign was so dirty.

I will not vote for the Lib Dems while Nick Clegg is the leader, after the lies on student fees. So I voted Green.

[administrator]

I voted Yes. I have trouble saying no 

[Boudi]

we only had two candidates.  If AV was in already I'd have put 3s in the boxes
 

[JJ]

Yes I voted:

yes
plaid cymru for the assembly
and green for the party

(you had to be there)

[tranchiebabe]

It would appear Plaid have taken a pasting, although the North Wales posts haven't yet been counted.

The referendum votes aren't counted until this afternoon, but opinion polls suggest the 'no' vote has it, hopefully so.

We have voted Lib Dem for years but neither my husband or I could bring ourselves to do so this time around. I voted Green and my husband voted Tory. That is a huge turn up for the book on his part, as he turned off the Conservatives rather quicker than I did years ago.

[ecuworrier]

welll... a resounding no to AV...

tell me what is it that plaid cymru stand for except welsh nationalism that is

GOD BLESS!

Peace and Love,

[AndyHB]

Yes I voted:

yes
plaid cymru for the assembly
and green for the party

Likewise, though it took me some time - in the booth - to come down on Plaid's side rather than the Lib Dems.

[AndyHB]

tell me what is it that plaid cymru stand for except welsh nationalism that is

They are somewhat to the left of the current Labour Party position on most things, (though this applies to the Lib Dems as well), and want to spend what money the assembly gets from Westminster rather more efficiently/effectively than the Labour Assembly administration of the past 12 years