Wednesday 6 April 2011

The effect of AV in Brighton

With the aid of a new website you can now find out how a change to the alternative voting system would affect the power of a vote in your constituency. In Brighton Pavilion, for example, voter power would increase by 31%.  This would leave the seat a "fairly safe" one.

In Kemptown the change is similar at +30% but the seat goes from marginal to very marginal.

In Hove the change is only +11% and the seat stays at very marginal.

Analysis from nef suggests that switching from First Past the Post to the Alternative Vote would have the following effects across the UK:
  • An increase in the average power of UK voters from 0.285 of a vote to 0.352 of a vote (where a score of 1 is a fair vote).
  • An increase in the number of very marginal seats from 81 to 125, an increase of 44 seats.
  • A reduction in the number of very-safe seats from 331 to 271 a reduction of 60 seats.
  • A small reduction of inequality in the power of votes with the most powerful fifth of electors going from having 21 times the power of the least powerful fifth down to 18 times.

1 comment:

  1. As I understand it, if I do, it's a good thing (AV that is). Greater voting power to me, fewer safe seats and the most powerful being less so. Except it begs so many questions. I think I need a break from Government.

    ReplyDelete

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