Well done Prezza, not quite sure how you managed to screw up HUMBERSIDE of all places.

 

The supplementary vote system does tend to disadvantage those who are popular yet divisive, such as John Prescott. Whilst he did win the first count ballots, he got hardly any secondary votes, handing victory to the Tories.

The supplementary vote system is a terrible system. Voters have to be able to guess who the top two candidates will be before deciding whether to use their second vote. In most of yesterday's contests roughly half of the people who voted for one of the eliminated candidates used their second preference votes to support one of the top two. The rest either didn't use their second preference at all (which includes me) or used it to vote for another eliminated candidate. The exceptions were places where it was fairly clear who the top two would be - where the proportion was rather more than half - or somewhere like Devon and Cornwall. In that contest the difference between second and fourth was just a few hundred votes so a lot of voters will have guessed incorrectly when deciding what to do with their second preference. If AV had been used, the outcome in some contests may well have been different.

The supplementary vote system is a terrible system. Voters have to be able to guess who the top two candidates will be before deciding whether to use their second vote. In most of yesterday's contests roughly half of the people who voted for one of the eliminated candidates used their second preference votes to support one of the top two. The rest either didn't use their second preference at all (which includes me) or used it to vote for another eliminated candidate. The exceptions were places where it was fairly clear who the top two would be - where the proportion was rather more than half - or somewhere like Devon and Cornwall. In that contest the difference between second and fourth was just a few hundred votes so a lot of voters will have guessed incorrectly when deciding what to do with their second preference. If AV had been used, the outcome in some contests may well have been different.

 

I agree, it's a bizarre system that just seems to be used because it's seen as simpler than the apparently too difficult AV.

I'd be in favour of a voting system based on the much maligned final series of the Krypton Factor in 1995. The winner might not necessarily be the person who receives the most votes. After the polls close, the votes are converted into points, which can be spent on weapons and armor. Then, all the candidates enter a arena, where they fight until only one person is remaining. That person then becomes the new MP/Police Commissioner. I think this method would be both fair and help to engage young people in the political process.

It might complicate recounts a little.

So basically the Hunger Games but with politicians? As long as Osbourne gets put down I'm good with that.