[EM] Question for STV-PR supporters

[James Gilmour]

I wrote:
 But experience shows that
> > real electors are more concerned about their communities 
> than about the
> > exactitude of proportional representation.

Stephane replied: 
> My experience shows not!!!
> My experience shows that only politicians are actually making 
> all they can to set this as a necessity.

We shall have to disagree.  Maybe it reflects differences between the
electorates in our two countries.  Maybe.

I do, however, accept that our politicians make a great deal of fuss
about this, especially those who are completely opposed to PR of any
kind.  Their protestations about the importance of the present
single-member districts are just a smoke-screen for their opposition to
reform that will (rightly) deprive them of single-party majority control
for 35% to 45% of the votes.

But locality is a real and important issue for electors.  When asked
relevant questions in surveys, there is strong support in Scotland for
the idea of having a local representative.  And I have seen at first
hand in an STV-PR election in Northern Ireland, voters transfer their
preferences across the parties to secure local representation.  To those
voters, PR of their locality was more important than PR of their
preferred party.

James