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LETTERS: Ward system is not a panacea

Editor:
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Editor:

I read with interest the letter, “Ward system warranted in Surrey.” I must first acknowledge the sincerity of the writer as well as their valid complaint about low voter turnout. However, I disagree with their proposed solution.

Creating a ward system would bring with it far more other problems. For instance, who draws the wards, and how do we prevent a party with the redistricting power from drawing them so as to benefit themselves, aka “Gerrymandering”?

Secondly, fault is laid at the foot of having too many choices and the amount of sheer work it takes to research all those candidates. By going to a ward system, it would reduce the initial effort required and, therefore and hopefully, boost participation. As a dual citizen, who grew up and participated in, the U.S. “two-party system,” I have seen many instances where the reduced choices amounted to “bad, and worse.”

Being able to instead help elect someone from elsewhere would have been far more palatable than holding my nose and voting for one of the two viable candidates, essentially playing Hobson’s Choice.

Further, they propose increasing the number of positions up for election.

This naturally dilutes each person’s vote to be worth even less than it is now, not to mention that the proposal doesn’t increase White Rock’s head count and therefore discounts their representation on the board(s) to an even greater extent.

There are other negative aspects to the proposal as well – and obviously some good points, too.

It’s important to weigh both of these.

There are problems with any election process, but I think the proposal needs further consideration of all the consequences of its adoption.

Kevin-Neil Klop, White Rock