This editorial has been amended following the announcement that the electoral reform referendum voting deadline has been extended to Dec. 7.
In just two weeks the referendum will end and either British Columbia will move toward proportional representation or the anguished screams of the Green Party will fill the air as we drift back to the status quo.
But as we monitor the paltry amount of ballots cast thus far, we’re already bracing for the worst scenario – or at least the most irritating.
The referendum was not legitimate, the loser will declare, because most British Columbians didn’t vote!
We urge you, no matter your political affiliation, to render that argument invalid by finding a mailbox immediately or heading to the Referendum Service Office at 120 Lonsdale Ave. before 4:30 p.m. Dec. 7. If you didn’t get a ballot you can still request one today.
There are no safe seats and no wasted votes in this referendum, and with some pollsters projecting a dead heat, we’re obliged to remind you that your choice may be decisive.
But if you haven’t torn open the envelope and filled in at least one circle yet, we’d suggest you switch off the television, turn down the radio and log out of Facebook before you do. Because despite what you’ve been told, the referendum is not a choice between the Liberals and the NDP.
Both parties will adapt. The question facing us is between clear mandate and uneasy coalition, between local representation and overarching fairness, between a government where one party has the first and last word and a government where everybody gets a say.
The choices are challenging, we admit, but that’s what makes them important. Make your voice heard. That would be the best-case scenario.
What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.
