2016 Prince Edward Island electoral reform referendum

Canadian provincial referendum October 2016 October 2016 Prince Edward Island Plebiscite on Democratic Renewal, 2016 Prince Edward Island 2016 10 27 2016 11 7 y Instant-runoff voting complete First round Dual Member Proportional Representation 21.45 red First-Past-The-Post (the current system) 31.22 orange First-Past-The-Post Plus Leaders 7.61 green Mixed Member Proportional Representation 29.04 blue Preferential Voting 10.64 yellow Final Round Dual Member Proportional Representation 0 red First-Past-The-Post (the current system) 42.84 orange First-Past-The-Post Plus Leaders 0 green Mixed Member Proportional Representation 52.42 blue Preferential Voting 0 yellow yourchoicepei.ca A non-binding referendum on electoral reformMedia Release: Voting locations http://www.yourchoicepei.ca/media-release-voting-locations Is it Time for Change? Elections Prince Edward Island 28 October 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161029120013/http://www.yourchoicepei.ca/media-release-voting-locations 29 October 2016 deadVoting begins in P.E.I. plebiscite on electoral reform http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-plebiscite-electoral-reform-begins-1.3826045 29 October 2016 CBC News 31 October 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161031042358/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-plebiscite-electoral-reform-begins-1.3826045 live was held in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island between 27 October – 7 November 2016. This was the second electoral reform referendum to be held in Prince Edward Island, following a vote to maintain the status quo in 2005. The referendum asked which of five voting systems residents would prefer to use in electing members to the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island.https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/pei-sets-voting-reform-plebiscite-for-fall/article30809776/ PEI sets voting-reform plebiscite for fall Roberts Rob 7 July 2016 The Globe and Mail English 2 October 2016 Toronto 22 September 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160922213131/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/pei-sets-voting-reform-plebiscite-for-fall/article30809776/ livehttps://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-guardian-charlottetown/20160921/281668254449436 Electoral reform in P.E.I. redux McKenna Peter 21 September 2016 The Guardian Charlottetown English 2 October 2016 Charlottetown, PEI dmy-all 14 December 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181214213843/https://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-guardian-charlottetown/20160921/281668254449436 livehttp://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-electoral-reform-4-things-to-know-1.3541234 P.E.I. electoral reform: 4 unanswered questions about the plebiscite Campbell Kerry 16 April 2016 CBC English 2 October 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161005142247/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-electoral-reform-4-things-to-know-1.3541234 5 October 2016 live dmy-all The referendum used Instant-runoff voting. Four rounds were held. This brought the options down to just two, where mixed member proportional representation was the majority choice with 55.03% support of the total 35,287 active votes, while first past the post had 45 per cent of those votes. Exhausted votes had grown to 1753 by that point. MMP's vote tally at the end was equivalent to 52.42% of the votes cast in the first round.Bradley Susan P.E.I. plebiscite results favour mixed member proportional representation http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/mixed-member-proportional-representation-in-plebiscite-1.3840172 8 November 2016 CBC News 8 November 2016 29 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161129004505/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/mixed-member-proportional-representation-in-plebiscite-1.3840172 live The plebiscite suffered from low voter turnout. Despite the variety of voting options and a long polling period, the 36.46% turnout was low by PEI standards. The province regularly gets more than 80% turnout in provincial general elections.Yarr Kevin Voter turnout in electoral reform plebiscite remains low http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-plebiscite-voter-turnout-1.3839492 8 November 2016 CBC News 7 November 2016 Voter turnout in provincial general elections is typically above 80 per cent on P.E.I. 8 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161108183329/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-plebiscite-voter-turnout-1.3839492 live Although he had set no threshold of minimum turnout for the plebiscite to be considered binding, Premier Wade MacLauchlan cited the low turnout as a factor in choosing not to proceed with immediate electoral reform. A third referendum on the subject was held in 2019. Question The official question on the ballot was: "Rank the following electoral systems in your order of preference, 1 through 5 (with "1st Choice" being your most preferred and "5th choice" being your least preferred). You may choose as many, or as few, of the electoral system options as you want."The Ballot http://www.yourchoicepei.ca/the-ballot Is it time for change? Elections Prince Edward Island 28 October 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161029115811/http://www.yourchoicepei.ca/the-ballot 29 October 2016 dead The options were listed alphabetically on the ballot as: Dual Member Proportional Representation First-Past-The-Post (the current system) First-Past-The-Post Plus LeadersWhere most members are elected using FPTP as before, but party leaders do not run for seats and are instead assigned an at-large seat if their party receives more than 10% of the popular vote Mixed Member Proportional Representation Preferential Voting (which in this case meant Instant-runoff voting). Process of the vote count The result of the plebiscite was found by using the Preferential Voting system, itself one of the options for elections being considered. Voters were given the opportunity to rank the five options from most preferred to least preferred, although they did not have to rank all five options. If more than half of the voters chose one option as their first choice, that option won; if no option received a majority of first-choice votes, the winner was determined after vote transfers as per instant-runoff voting. The option with the fewest votes was dropped, and those ballots were distributed to the other options based on the second choice on those ballots. This was repeated as necessary until one option had a majority of the votes.How will the plebiscite be run? http://www.yourchoicepei.ca/how-will-the-plebiscite-be-run Is it time for change? Elections Prince Edward Island 19 October 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161020114314/http://www.yourchoicepei.ca/how-will-the-plebiscite-be-run 20 October 2016 dead Results No option received a majority in the First count. Vote transfers were used as per IRV, to establish a majority winner. MMP took a majority of the votes in the 4th Count. Prince Edward Island electoral reform referendum, 2016 18,521 votes required to win in the first count. (thereafter, a majority of the votes still in play was needed to win.) + Prince Edward Island electoral reform referendum, 2016 (final results)http://www.electionspei.ca/plebisciteresults Elections PEI: Plebiscite Results www.electionspei.ca Elections PEI 8 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161108134958/http://www.electionspei.ca/plebisciteresults 8 November 2016 dead ChoiceFPV% First-preference vote %Count 1 2 3 4First Past The Post31.23 11,567 13,108 14,466 15,869Mixed Member Proportional Representation29.04 10,757 11,153 12,780 19,418Dual Member Proportional Representation21.46 7,951 8,224 8,948Preferential Voting10.65 3,944 4,216FPTP + Leaders7.62 2,821Totals100.00 37,040 36,701 36,194 35,287Exhausted339 507 907 + Analysis of transferred votes, ranked in order of 1st preference votesChoiceMaximumroundMaximumvotesShare inmaximumroundMaximum votesFirst round votesTransfer votesFirst Past The Post415,869 44.9715869 11567 20000 Mixed Member Proportional Representation419,418 55.0319418 10757 20000 Dual Member Proportional Representation38,948 24.728948 7951 20000 Preferential Voting24,216 11.494216 3944 20000 FPTP + Leaders12,821 7.622821 2821 20000 Exhausted votes1,753 4.731753 0 20000 Voting eligibility and methods This plebiscite marked several firsts in Canadian electoral history. Sixteen- and seventeen-year-old PEI residents were permitted to vote on the grounds that they will be aged eighteen (and therefore eligible to vote under normal election rules) in the next provincial election, which would potentially be held using the voting system that wins this plebiscite. As well, plebiscite voters were able to submit their votes online or via touch-tone telephone for the first time in a major Canadian vote. Internet and telephone voting was open from 12:00 noon Saturday 29 October 2016 and ran until 7:00 p.m. on Monday, 7 November 2016.Internet & Telephone Voting http://www.yourchoicepei.ca/internet-telephone-voting Is it time for change? Elections Prince Edward Island 19 October 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161020114942/http://www.yourchoicepei.ca/internet-telephone-voting 20 October 2016 dead In-person voting was open in polling stations across the province on Friday, 4 November 2016, 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., and Saturday, 5 November 2016, 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.In Person Voting http://www.yourchoicepei.ca/paper-ballot-in-person-voting Is it time for change? Elections Prince Edward Island 19 October 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161020114145/http://www.yourchoicepei.ca/paper-ballot-in-person-voting 20 October 2016 dead Aftermath Premier Wade MacLauchlan said after the vote that he was doubtful the result of the referendum "can be said to constitute a clear expression of the will of Prince Edward Islanders" due to the unusually low turnout.Sinclair Jesara Premier calls plebiscite results 'debatable,' cites low turnout CBC News http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-premier-plebiscite-results-1.3842107 11 November 2016 8 November 2016 10 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161110130947/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-premier-plebiscite-results-1.3842107 live MacLauchlan did commit to discussing the results when the provincial legislature resumed on 15 November 2016; noting the need to examine the urban and rural breakdown of votes, among other issues.Wright Teresa 'Debatable' vote, says P.E.I. Premier Wade MacLauchlan http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/2016/11/8/_debatable_-vote--says-p-e-i--premier-wade-maclauchlan.html 11 November 2016 The Guardian 8 November 2016 Charlottetown https://web.archive.org/web/20161111122951/http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/2016/11/8/_debatable_-vote--says-p-e-i--premier-wade-maclauchlan.html 11 November 2016 dead MacLauchlan's government introduced a motion in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island to hold a second referendum on electoral reform at the next provincial general election, stating that the low turnout for the referendum did not provide a mandate to implement the change and the need for a more specific referendum question with two choices.Motion No. 80, Democratic renewal: a clear question and a binding vote http://www.assembly.pe.ca/progmotions/onemotion.php?number=80session=2&assembly=65 www.assembly.pe.ca Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island 25 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20190328191714/http://www.assembly.pe.ca/progmotions/onemotion.php?number=80session=2&assembly=65 28 March 2019 deadWright Teresa Motion urging P.E.I. government to honour electoral reform vote defeated http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/2016/11/22/motion-urging-p-e-i--government-to-honour-electoral-reform-vote-.html 25 November 2016 The Guardian 22 November 2016 Charlottetown https://web.archive.org/web/20161124152501/http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/2016/11/22/motion-urging-p-e-i--government-to-honour-electoral-reform-vote-.html 24 November 2016 dead A motion by Green Party leader Peter Bevan-Baker to implement mixed-member proportional representation in line with the referendum results was defeated on 22 November 2016 by a vote of 6–20.Motion No. 54 , Plebiscite on electoral reform http://www.assembly.pe.ca/progmotions/onemotion.php?number=54&session=2&assembly=65 www.assembly.pe.ca Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island 25 November 2016 26 November 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20161126131005/http://www.assembly.pe.ca/progmotions/onemotion.php?number=54&session=2&assembly=65 dead Subsequent referendum held in April 2019 2019 Prince Edward Island electoral reform referendum A subsequent electoral reform referendum was held on 23 April 2019, simultaneously with the 66th Prince Edward Island general election. Results of this referendum were very close with 51.7% voting No and 48.3% voting Yes. Neither side met the conditions for the results to be considered binding. and prior to the next election the Island is debating reforms of this nature.2021-11-19 Citizens' assembly to explore electoral reform on P.E.I. could be created in new year, premier says https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-proportional-representation-citizens-committee-1.6254341 2022-09-17 CBC 1 August 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220801055224/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-proportional-representation-citizens-committee-1.6254341 live Notes note References External links http://www.yourchoicepei.ca/ Electoral reform referendum Category:2016 elections in Canada Category:2016 referendums Category:Electoral reform referendums in Canada Electoral reform referendum, 2016 Category:October 2016 in Canada November 2016 events in Canada Category:Multiple-choice referendums