to ask for your opinion on the AV referendum?

[redexpat]

I've read all the arguments for and against AV and first past the post, and listened specially to Radio 4, but I simply can't decide which way to vote! They all seem equally valid. Thoughts?

If you like the Conservatives vote No
If you like any of the others vote Yes

That's it in a nutshell IMO

Vote Yes. Just vote yes.

Just say No!

Personally AV isn't my system of choice but Labour and the Liberals have been asking for a referendum on voting reform for more than a century. It's been promised dozens on times and we've only just got one. I think a 'no', even if it's because you don't like First Past the Post but don't think AV is right either, will be seen as a whole-hearted support of FPTP.

I don't think we'll get this chance again in our lifetimes if the country answers no. I think a vote for AV is at least a step in the right direction and sets up the precedent of referenda for voting reform.

I like the idea of AV. We already have it for the assembley in NI. To me it boils down to at least half of the people who voted are happy enough to have that person elected. Sometimes people are elected with as little as 30% of the vote, which to me seems more unfair. No one is forcing you to choose more than one person if it is only one person you want to vote for, but you may want to vote for candidate x but you also agree with some philosophies of candidate Y so if X doesn't win but Y does then you are happy with it. I think there is a lot of anti-AV going on as per chance it may mean that the major 3 parties (2 to be honest about it) will not be in full control any more.

I think "yes" is the way to go :)

Could you please explain to me, as you would an idiot, how AV works? Someone on the radio said it's "get me a coke, if they haven't got any coke get me a Sprite"

And secondly, was listening to Margaret Beckett and a couple of other planks on the radio debating all this and they kept saying that our current system, first past the post, means the party with the most votes wins. So why tf have we got a coalition? It's all bollocks. They kept saying that and it makes no sense.

I hate politics!

Rank the candidates in order of preference rather than ticking one box.

All the '1's' are added up, the one with the fewest are discarded and the '2's' from their ballots are added to the mix, this carries on down the '3's' and '4's' until you have one winner who is more 'wanted' than any other.

Proportional Representation.

It's ironic that the referendum on AV is being decided by a first passed the post vote!

Enough said.

I'm voting no.

If AV is so good how come only Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Australia use it? And Australia want rid of it.

I am voting NO as I think it makes sense for the party the majority voted for the get in - and will be less hung-parliaments etc --also whatever the millipede advocates; I tend to do the opposite

Oh we have a coalition because the party in power needs to hold the majority of seats in the commons and the Tories couldn't do this alone so they asked the Lib Dems to come help out.

Couldn't decide for a long, long time but have finally decided 'yes'. It's not ideal, not 'proper' PR and I don't even want to think about Nick Clegg, or the Lib Dems holding the balance of power EVER again, but it is a progressive move, so 'yes' for me.

Yeah, just do it, vote yes. Can't be any worse than what we've got. MPs can't be any worse than what we've had so far.

Better to get a Sprite, if you can't have Coke, than a Vimto!

Actually, AV doesn't produce hung parliaments any more than FPTP does...

For me it means that I can vote for a small party and it not be a wasted vote.

It means that I don't have to try and vote tactically, something else that gets on my nerves.

I just say, I like these ones first, second, third, and it's not a waste of a vote.

I really hope the answer will be Yes

Could be worse. We could have labour back in power.

I'm being really thick, i don't have a political mind. I still don't get it. Surely by just adding up all the single votes you get the most wanted person? This way you could potentially end up with someone who didn't have a great deal of first votes but loads of third votes say. Everyone gets what nobody really wanted.

Why? That's the system we have until a change is voted in. What alternative would you suggest for the referendum?

"It's ironic that the referendum on AV is being decided by a first passed the post vote!"

Gwen: I found this link quite useful in explaining it:

I think the result is going to be more down to what people think of the parties involved than whether they think it's actually a good idea or not though.

This explains it quite well, I think.

I'll be voting "yes." Because when David Cameron, John Reid and Nick Griffin all say, "Vote no" it creeps me out.

Thanks, I'll have a look. I am utterly confused

A1980 I'm not sure what voting system you would prefer for the answer to a yes or no question!

You want people to be able to say, First choice yes, second choice no?!!

Or do it by PR and get, erm, the same result as FPTP? ie this many people say yes and this many people say no?

deeply

I'm 37. I have voted in all elections and a by-election.

I have never voted for the party I want to run the country.

The party I want in power get about 5% where I live. If I vote for them they won't get in, so I end up voting against the party I hate by voting for the other big party. Under AV I will be able to vote for the people I want without worrying I'm letting in the evil ones.

Vote Yes!

Sardine my point was either you want something or you don't.

That's the way voting should be.

One choice, one vote.....!