Fast forward about two and a half years …, today voters in Prince Edward Island are indeed trying again. This time the vote will be binding, although there is a geographical distribution requirement in addition to a province-wide majority requirement. The leaders of three of the four main parties claim to support MMP (the Liberal leader is non-committal).
Section 4, subsection 1 of the 2018 PEI Electoral System Referendum Act states:
“The result of the referendum is binding on the Government only if
(a) more than 50% of the validly cast referendum ballots vote the same way on the
question; and
(b) in at least 60% of electoral districts, more than 50% of the validly cast referendum
ballots vote the same way on the question.”
I read that as forcing a change if 60+% of districts had Yes majorities (or no change in the case of 60+% of No majorities), leaving a government free to act as it wished following a less decisive outcome. However, the party leaders have interpreted the 60% test as a necessary condition, as well as a sufficient one, and will treat the Act as binding.
(https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-leaders-honour-vote-referendum-electoral-system-1.5083300)
According to the CBC article “He [the Green leader] was also among the first to point out the province’s referendum can’t technically be binding on the next government, something confirmed by the province’s referendum commissioner, former P.E.I. chief justice Gerard Mitchell.”
(Posting mainly to bump this thread.)
Fast forward about two and a half years …, today voters in Prince Edward Island are indeed trying again. This time the vote will be binding, although there is a geographical distribution requirement in addition to a province-wide majority requirement. The leaders of three of the four main parties claim to support MMP (the Liberal leader is non-committal).
There is supposed to be a result later tonight.
One important difference from other MMP discussions in Canada: PEI is clearly voting on an open-list model.
Section 4, subsection 1 of the 2018 PEI Electoral System Referendum Act states:
“The result of the referendum is binding on the Government only if
(a) more than 50% of the validly cast referendum ballots vote the same way on the
question; and
(b) in at least 60% of electoral districts, more than 50% of the validly cast referendum
ballots vote the same way on the question.”
I read that as forcing a change if 60+% of districts had Yes majorities (or no change in the case of 60+% of No majorities), leaving a government free to act as it wished following a less decisive outcome. However, the party leaders have interpreted the 60% test as a necessary condition, as well as a sufficient one, and will treat the Act as binding.
(https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-leaders-honour-vote-referendum-electoral-system-1.5083300)
According to the CBC article “He [the Green leader] was also among the first to point out the province’s referendum can’t technically be binding on the next government, something confirmed by the province’s referendum commissioner, former P.E.I. chief justice Gerard Mitchell.”
Programming note: there is now a thread on today’s election.