If you have ever been frustrated with strategic voting, worried about splitting your vote, or voted for a political party that does not receive any representation, then you may want to join us as we get prepared for a referendum on May 12, 2009 to change our voting system from "first past the post" to a fair system known as STV (Single Transferable Vote).

We are looking for volunteers who would want to take an active role:

* Graphic Designers
* Production and material assistant
* Musicians
* Video Producers
* Fundraising and Event Organizing
* Community Organizers
* Canvassers (Phone and street)

Please contact Dan Grice,

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Originally posted by remind:
Daniel, is there someone from the NDP actioning this drive for volunteers etc as well?

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Welcome to the BC-STV Campaign.

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I definitely can put you in touch with a few of our NDP campaigners as well. Stephen Broscoe is a long time orange organizer from that list (although he is getting a little swamped.) As long as you don't sign into the STV website using your moniker, your rabble identity will be protected.

While I'm often partisan sounding on the chat boards, the working attitude at FVBC is very unpartisan despite most of of us coming from very political backgrounds. We realize that we need to win 60% of the votes and cannot afford to offend the left or the right.

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Originally posted by Daniel Grice:
That is great. Write letters to the press as well!

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Not all of our regional organizers are super experienced, and we are looking at dividing up some of the regions and giving more responsibility to those who would like it. If you have anyone who you think would make a great local level organizer or take on a larger role, feel free to have them contact me if your local organizer does not get in touch with you soon.

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They would deliver signs or find someone to do that, organize a public meeting on electoral reform, and if we can get enough volunteers in the area, do door to door and maybe phone canvass,

The extent of an organizer role depends, like political campaign, on how many people they can get volunteering in the area. Unlike a political campaign, a lot of people who deem themselves "apolitical" are often willing to help out. If someone is willing to take an active role, we would be glad to have utilize them to their full extent.

The key aspect for an organizer is to delegate duties, and find people willing to do the basic tasks. It takes organization abilities and a regular duty, but optimally they are a social character willing to work with anyone who steps forward. Regardless of your background, it is a shared goal to move to a political system that encourages cooperation and real representation for all people.

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Originally posted by remind:
What a good idea, don't know why I never thought about writing a letter to the local papers, as an editorial. We have 3 for our small community. Hmmm, wonder if I could even get them, or even 1, to support it with an article written about each every couple of weeks. They are always looking for fill. Thanks, am going to look into that next week, and in the meantime craft a letter to the editor.

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I think that this approach really works. You are right that local papers need copy and the referendum has potential for ongoing coverage on a lot of levels. In Nelson-Creston where I live the local papers ran a series of debates featuring local spokespeople from both the YES and NO sides. They took the form of columns on specific issues and ran over a couple of weeks. It raised the level of debate in the community and was taken up in letters to the editor and local online bulletin boards and e-mail lists.

On the end Nelson-Creston was one of the 15 or so ridings the passed both thresholds. I think that the fact that debate within the riding occurred helped the YES side.

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Originally posted by remind:
Another good idea, of holding a community debate with both sides presented, which of course I should of thought of, as that is what we did to stop Candu from putting a reactor in here.

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This was done here - even some of the smaller villages has debates, and of course then these events get written up in the local papers. And if they don't send a reporter - white your own report and set it in.

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Which makes me wonder if the high school socials teachers would like to get on board for doing that, as that is how we approached it last time. It could then serve 2 purposes, getting youth involved in politics and raising community awareness.

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Originally posted by scott:
This was done here - even some of the smaller villages has debates, and of course then these events get written up in the local papers. And if they don't send a reporter - white your own report and set it in.

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This was done in the local high schools here during the recent Federal election. It was ironic to see the students so engaged and interested while the 20 somethings remained clueless and to a great extent didn't vote. It is frustrating because if you do put in the effort and convince members of this age group to vote, they tend to vote progressively.

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