A coalition led by former Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart is set to contest the current municipal voting system in British Columbia, claiming it violates the constitution and fails to ensure fair representation. The majority of municipalities in B.C., including Vancouver, utilize an at-large election system where residents vote for all council members representing the entire city.
Stewart emphasized the shortcomings of the at-large system and expressed the group’s intent, named Fix City Hall, to challenge the provincial government to end at-large elections in major cities such as Metro Vancouver, Kelowna, and Kamloops. Should the challenge succeed, the province would need to determine an alternative system to replace at-large voting.
Stewart proposed that systems like the single transferrable vote or ward system would be more effective than the current setup, which he believes results in inadequate representation for minority groups. This move marks the first legal challenge against the existing system, despite previous unsuccessful attempts to implement electoral reform in Vancouver.
Political science lecturer Stewart Prest from the University of British Columbia expressed skepticism regarding the court challenge, advocating for a referendum instead. He highlighted the benefits of a ward system, where councillors are elected to represent specific neighborhoods, promoting accountability and representation for local communities. Prest acknowledged the advantages of the at-large system in addressing city-wide issues but also noted its drawbacks in potentially neglecting marginalized areas.
Ryan Campbell of Fair Vote Canada raised concerns about the cumbersome voting process in at-large elections, citing the extensive candidate lists in previous Vancouver and Surrey elections. Campbell emphasized the need for simpler voting procedures, suggesting that ranking a few candidates to ensure effective voting would be an improvement.
Fix City Hall has launched an online platform for British Columbians to directly petition for electoral reform. Stewart confirmed that the group plans to initiate the court challenge in the early months of the upcoming year.
