Pushing for electoral reform

Photo: Alanna Kelly

Demonstrators pushed proportional representation in Kelowna Saturday.

About a dozen people took to the pedestrian overpass near the Parkinson Rec Centre Saturday with a big sign, to spread awareness about the upcoming provincial referendum on electoral reform.

The members of Fair Vote Kelowna, an arm of Fair Vote Canada, are hoping proportional representation will replace the first past the post system that's currently used in B.C.

Kelly Hutchinson, one of the people on the overpass Saturday from 1 - 2:30 p.m., said they had good feedback from passing motorists, and heard many honks.

“Which is surprising because like we were seeing at the doors, people didn't know about it, but the people that do were really holding down the honking,” Hutchinson said.

“Doing some door knocking, the response we've got so far is that most people don't know about the issue, they don't know that they're going to have a vote on this in November.”

Hutchinson says he's passionate about proportional representation because he feels the current system doesn't accurately represent votes.

“It really exaggerates power,” he said. “It's really turned our province into two halves. If you're in the Okanagan, unless you vote for the BC Liberals your vote doesn't elect anyone, and it's completely reversed in the Lower Mainland. If you're not voting for the New Democrats, it doesn't count.”

The referendum on electoral reform will take place sometime before Nov. 30, 2018, and is expected to occur in the fall.