Preferential voting
Sir,—Proportional representation would not necessarily give Social Credit a fair deal, for we would immediately have a rash of strange parties and individual cranks getting the odd seat, with S.P.U.C., Gay, Fluoride, Clean Air and Apartheid members jamming Parliament. Such an orgy of fair representation gave us Hitler. In any case, regions returning, say, 10 seats each would be cumbersome. But election night figures tell us something, for in 39 of their 46 seats, National got less than half the votes cast, and the majority, who voted against the discredited Government, are silenced. With preferential voting, we indicate our first, second, etc., choices, and the losers’ second preferences are distributed until an absolute majority emerges. This has worked well in other countries, providing the opportunity for a strong third force to be heard. — Yours, etc., VARIAN J. WILSON. November 30, 1981.
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Press, 2 December 1981, Page 24
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143Preferential voting Press, 2 December 1981, Page 24
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