Continuing my daily series analyzing specific arguments for and against BC-STV, the proportional voting system we can put into place in BC on May 12. Today: STV around the world. Some form of proportional representation or “PR” is the norm in most other countries. Only Canada, the US, Britain and India use our current “First Past the Post” or winner-take-all system. Again, the anti-STV arguments put forward on www.nostv.org are disingenuous. They state that “more of the world’s population uses FPTP than any other system.” However, collectively some kind of PR system is used in most countries and by most people. The Irish example Ireland is the largest country where Single Transferable Vote is currently used. They’ve had this system in place since the 1920’s. Two referendums were held offering the chance to change the system, but they were both soundly defeated. The anti-STV site trots out the fact that the same party has usually won a majority, but neglects to mention the rather obvious fact that this reflected the popular vote. The rest of their argument seems to consist entirely of a YouTube video on a single fracas in the Irish parliament. It merely proves that regardless of voting system, some politicians will always behave badly. It’s hardly a condemnation of a near-century of Ireland’s PR system. See this link for a cool-headed look at Ireland’s experience with STV. The bottom line? Regardless of how anyone tries to spin it, the Irish are extremely satisfied with STV.