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Grbad camp rallies and campus campaigns, Yes camp wins the first week of the referendum
It may be a wave of tension on paper, but on the ground, the situation was different in the first week of the crucial referendum on electoral reform in British Columbia.
As the B.C. elections began posting more than three million ballots, the Yes campaign for proportional representation was launched at the source.
The no part stumbled with an unintentionally hilarious television advertisement warning the Nazi hooligans who were walking on a hen, could take over if the pro-representation forces succeed.
Pollsters say the referendum is so tight that it's unclear which side will win.
But I would say one thing is clear enough: the Yes camp won the first week of the campaign. S & # 39; en go.
Until now, the campaign has gone beyond political borders and foreseeable special interests.
A proportional representation voting system would increase the number of MPs elected by the smaller parties, including the Green Party.
Not surprisingly, the Greens are all in favor. The same goes for the ruling NDP, the power-sharing partner of the Greens in the minority legislature.
The pro representative increases the chances of a greater number of minority governments and the continuation of the governing NDP-Green alliance. Thus, naturally, their traditional supporters of labor, environmental and social justice movements are fully involved.
The Yes campaign got off to a good start with a high-energy gathering in Victoria at prime time, which attracted 1,000 people and plenty of media coverage. There was no large gathering without campaign to counter it.
The Yes portion also appears to have a more vigorous and creative ground game, including campaign signs and a special awareness program on college and university campuses called "Pro Rep Is Lit." way.)
This is extremely intelligent because polls suggest that younger voters are more likely to support proportional representation but less likely to vote. A targeted effort to motivate them could yield a lot.
The No campaign is supported by British Columbia. The Liberal Party, which has blocked power for 16 years under the existing first-past-the-post system, is desperate to stay in power.
Traditional Allies of Liberal Big and Small Business Support Campaign No
The Urban Development Institute, representing the B.C. real estate developers, approved the no camp last week.
These are powerful and well-established interests in British Columbia, which makes it all the more surprising that the "No" campaign had such a bad start.
Instead of a high-energy public rally like the Yes party, the No campaign began with a televised attack warning against a takeover by fascists from the province.
"Do not let the extremists enter our BC legislature," implores advertising, as neo-Nazis with muscular boots parade down a column along the street.
The advertisement included images of street riots in European countries where far-right parties won seats in parliament with favorable voting systems for representatives.
A riot in Israel was also launched, prompting the campaign to briefly release the announcement.
"We have received complaints from some of our Jewish supporters," said campaign organizer Bill Tieleman.
The reference Israel was removed and the announcement was relaunched, the boots intact.
After you stop laughing at this alarmist campaign, think about this: There is no neo-Nazi political party legally registered in British Columbia.
And the smaller, controversial parties currently get a lot less votes than the number required by a representative to elect a deputy.
The Christian Heritage Party won 0.17% of the vote in last year's election, for example. The B.C. The Communist Party got 0.04%.
Minimum percentage of votes required to elect a deputy under a professional representative: five per cent.
After denouncing the threat the Nazis pose to British Columbia, some Liberals have also warned against the risk of fraud at the polls to help the fascists.
Several Liberal MPs tweeted photos of unclaimed referendum ballot packs in apartment halls.
"What could go wrong?" Asked the executive director of the Liberal party, Emile Scheffel, on Twitter.
Former Liberal MP Judi Tyabji said the postal referendum was "largely open to fraud". She asked her followers on Facebook to send her rejected ballots so that she could film them for a video revealing the risk of corruption.
This triggered an investigation by Elections British Columbia. for possible manipulation of the ballot.
"The falsification of mail sent by Canada Post is a federal criminal offense," Elections BC warned on Twitter, advising anyone who finds a discarded ballot to put it in a mailbox marked "Returning to". ;sender".
The hopelessness of the camp of the not put a smile in the face of Andrew Weaver, head of the club of British Columbia. Green part.
"They use embarrbading alarming tactics, like the ones Donald Trump could see," Weaver said. "But it's the backlash and the voting process for us. The "No" campaign is actually the best thing we have right now! "
All in all, the first week goes to the yes camp. But it's a long campaign until November.
I suspect it will be close in the end.
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