Pair Vote for a Fair Vote?

A certain Canadian political party decided about eight years ago to drop the word "progressive" from its party name. In my opinion, a group of voters is now claiming the word for themselves, at least figuratively.

Pair Vote has a radical philosophy: make your vote count. The group is unapologetic in its stated first objective that it does not want Stephen Harper to obtain a majority government:

"Prevent a false majority by the Conservatives by swapping non-Conservative votes in swing ridings where Conservative party may win – this party is the least motivated to reform anything, and the only majority threat."

So how does Pair Vote hope to make a difference? Its creator's idea is simple, but it requires a leap of faith; if I vote for your political party in my riding, you must vote for my choice in yours.

The agreement has the ability to elect MP's who have historically had a large proportion of the vote, but no representation in the House of Commons. The demarcation lines of voter ridings (which seem to be redrawn at will by the ruling party) will begin to mean a whole lot less, and predictability will go out the proverbial window. It's a good first step toward proportional representation which has been the goal of many disaffected voters for years.

What Stephen Harper has said from the outset about this latest trip to the polls is likely true for many Canadians, "This is an election that no one wants." Given that Canadians haven't had a majority government since 2004, what exactly might this pattern represent?

There is always the tried and true answer of, not enough Canadians motivated to vote. This can manifest in several ways: the disaffected voter, the uninterested voter, uninspired politicians, or election timing, to name a few. With an inspired system such as Pair Vote and others that offer a choice for many who feel their individual vote won't change anything, Canadians are being asked to reassess the ways their vote can make a difference.

I am excited to see where this idea will go in the years to come.