Liberals would introduce ranked ballots

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This article was published 01/09/2023 (780 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The way your ballot is counted will change if the Liberals take the reins of power in Manitoba.

Manitoba Liberal Party Leader Dougald Lamont said Friday that his party would, if it forms government, introduce ranked ballots in provincial elections.

Lamont said ranked balloting is better than the current voting system because it would end strategic voting, making it easier for Manitobans to vote for the party they want based on their personal and community values.

“If we want lasting change in Manitoba, we need to change the way we vote by strengthening grassroots democracy with ranked ballots in provincial elections,” Lamont said in a news release.

“One of the reasons we keep flip-flopping back and forth in Manitoba is that under our system, voters are told they have no choice but to vote for someone they don’t like to keep out someone else… and that’s how you get the dysfunctional governments and divisive campaigns we see in Manitoba right now.”

Lamont said his party considered endorsing proportional voting but decided ranked ballots was a better system.

He said that, under the Liberal proposal, every winning MLA would have to have a clear majority of 50 per cent plus one of the vote, meaning candidates would also have to work to get the vote from supporters of opponents.

Lamont noted ranked ballots are used in many elections around the world, including in Australia.

“Last election, more Manitobans stayed home than all votes combined for the winning side,” he said.