The news this morning is how a poll gives the UCP approval of 46 percent of voters; the NDP support of 30 percent of voters.
An academic then pointed out how the NDP vote is mostly in Edmonton while the UCP is spread across the province, so the UCP is lined up to be re-elected in the next election.
From this we learn
if the poll is correct (not mistaken or tweeked to serve the government's interests), and
if the voters do not change their opinions before the next election - if only eight percent of the voters who support the UCP switch to the NDP, the NDP would have more votes,
then the UCP with 46 percent of the vote would be re-elected to wield power over the 54 percent of the electorate who may or may not support it.
A minority imposing its will on the majority - hardly a fair proposition.
And worse under First Past the Post system we use, we can expect not only that the UCP would take enough seats to be re-elected (if the situation is as described and continues as described), that is, it would take a majority of the seats in the legislative assembly, but likely it would take 70-80 percent of the seats in the legislature. It would leave Edmonton and perhaps a couple or a few rural ridings in the hands of NDP. This total over-representation of its meagre popularity would leave the Green party, the Liberals , the Alberta Party (if it still exists) totally un-represented despite its collective 20 or more percent of the vote. And the numerous NDP voters in the rural districts would be left badly under-represented, relying mostly on the Edmonton MLAs to carry their pleas, air their grievances in the Legislature.
And they call this democracy.
Democracy without fair representation is no democracy at all.
The majority (encompassed in one party or in several) does not get a majority of representation, does not have power, while a minority party is put in the position of power.
While the minority of voters in Calgary or the rural districts taken separately are totally disregarded. The minority NDP and other opposition voters there would be without its fair due of representation.
While the minority of voters in Edmonton taken separately are totally disregarded. The minority UCP and other non-NDP voters there would be without their fair due of representation.
How can such a legislative assembly properly represent the voters?
If an election results in a minority ruling over a majority and 30-40 percent of the votes being totally disregarded, it seems to be just a stunt full of sound and fury but signifying nothing.
Although offering great promise, elections held under FPTP again and again disappoint and yield legislative assemblies that are unrepresentative and off-balance.
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