Dorchester Mock Election: The Result

A Clear Win For Harry In Dorchester Mock Election !

Fair Votes For Dorset Returning Officer David Smith has declared Harry Redknapp the clear winner in the recent Mock Election. Fair Votes For Dorset are the local, cross-party supported organisation campaigning for a Yes Vote in next May’s Referendum on changing the voting system. The Fair Votes team set up a polling booth in South Street,Dorchester and during the morning asked shoppers to choose between Harry Redknapp, Jose Morinho, Fabio Capello, Sven Erikssson and Arsene Wenger for next England Football Manager in order to give them hands on experience of using the Alternative Voting system, as well as the more familiar First Past The Post system which is currently in use in elections locally and nationally. 

‘Popular Spurs Manager Harry Redknapp won comfortably under First Past The Post with 28 votes,’ said organiser Mr.Smith : ‘And it looked as if Redknapp had steamed past his rivals with 27 first preferences under the Alternative Vote system too : but a late surge for Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger changed the goalposts briefly. However, when fifth placed candidate Morinho’s 5 second preferences were transferred it took Harry past the 28 quota with 30 votes.I can give anyone who’s interested the full poll figures from both systems that we used in what was a ‘pilot’ Mock Election.I’m sure Fair Votes will organise similar mock elections in the coming weeks and months.People need to know the Referendum options, to make an informed choice next year.’  

The full results were as follows:

FPTP
———
Capello  4
Eriksson 10
Morinho 4
Redknapp 26 clear winner
Wenger 10
—————-
TOTAL 54

AV 1st Preferences
———
Capello  5
Eriksson 10
Morinho 4
Redknapp 27
Wenger 9
—————-
TOTAL 55
quota 28

In early voting it looked as though Redknapp would win on 1st preferences. However there was late support for Wenger. This meant that the goalpost rose and Redknapp was 1 short of the quota – he needed to get more than 50%. Morinho as the weakest candidate was therefore excluded. 3 of his votes transfered to Redknapp, thus pushing his vote up to 30 thus exceeding the quota and winning.

AV votes after exclusion of Morinho
———
Capello  5
Eriksson 10
Morinho 0
Redknapp 30 winner
Wenger 10
—————-
TOTAL 55
quota 28

In this case Redknapp was a pretty clear winner on either system. In many situations the candidate with the most 1st preferences, but who fails to get 50% is unacceptable to the majority of voters. In such cases votes transfer to more acceptable candidates, and one or these forges ahead and wins.

In many First Past The Post elections the winning candidate doesn’t command anything like 50 % of the popular vote share in a given parliamentary constituency, local government ward or county division.A clear majority of electors may reject a particular candidate and yet be saddled with them as their representative;because of the split votes and tactical voting which are endemic under the First Past The Post system.Citizens are often voting for the least bad option, rather than choosing what they actually want !The Alternative Voting system works by transferring peoples’ second, third, fourth and fifth preferences to determine a candidate with at least 50% of the vote share in a given ward, division or constituency- ie a clear majority.

You can view a video of the Mock Election at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho4rIBowCMk

‘We’re talking a new kind of democratically accountable politics here,’ said Fair Votes For Dorset Chair Richard Denton-White:’ Our next England Football Manager Dorchester Mock Election was just a bit  of fun and undoudtedly Harry ‘One Liner’ Redknapp was bound to do well after England’s poor showing in South Africa.I’m sure he’ll be flattered that he won the popular vote and I’ll drop him a ‘one liner’ inviting him to get ‘between the sticks’ for our Yes Vote Campaign : although as a Pompey fan I ‘ll want a guarantee that he’s not off to another ‘outfit’ before May 5th next year !’

Fair Votes For Dorset are recruiting new campaigners on a regular basis in readiness for 2011′s Referendum battles. Anyone who is interested in backing them can phone Membership Secretary Matthew Coussell (29) on 01202-874401 or their Treasurer on 01305-815965.They need hard cash for their literature and committed activists for their continuing campaign.

We are plann ing an ambitious ‘Democracy Day’ at Portsmouth University Students’ Union in November and a 3 course Christmas Dinner in Dorchester, at a well loved pub, sit down at 8.30pm,( after their ‘core’ group meeting,) on Thursday 2nd December, with a Christmas ‘Goodies’ Auction and a mystery after dinner speaker. Tickets are a competitive £15 per head and you can book with Richard Denton-White either by phoning him on 01305-826724 or emailing richard@people-first.org.uk

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