[Election-Methods] RE : Taiwan legislative elections and referendum

[Stéphane Rouillon]

In Quebec, referendums about municipal defusions were held.
To win, defusionist camp had to collect results with both:
- at least 35% of participation;
- 50%+1 of support among the expressed votes.

The 35% seemed a good compromise showing people had interest
and knowing some persons just don't care and never vote.

S. Rouillon

>From: Kevin Venzke <stepjak at yahoo.fr>
>To: election-methods at electorama.com
>Subject: [Election-Methods] RE : Taiwan legislative elections and 
>referendum
>Date: Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:40:05 +0100 (CET)
>
>Hi,
>
>--- Augustin <beginner2005 at masquilier.org> a écrit :
> > I am very angry when I think about how referendums are conducted in
> > Taiwan.
> >
> > a- stupid 50% rule.
> > -------------------
> >
> > For the result of a referendum to be valid, at least 50% of the
> > *registered voters* must participate. I.e. if at least 50% of the
> > registered couch potatoes stay at home, the referendum will fail even
> > if the vote expressed show 90% +  support to the referendum item.
> >
> > Thus, the surest way to kill a referendum is to stay at home.
> > Also, all those registered voters who genuinely don't care about the
> > referendum one way of the other (e.g. the disinterested couch potato
> > group of people), are all automaticall counted in the NO camp,
> > whatever the question asked. !!!
> >
> > How much more undemocratic can that be??
>
>The rule that a majority of voters must vote is unfortunate because it
>means that by showing up to vote "No" you can cause the proposal to
>succeed.
>
>But in my opinion, to avoid government abuse of referendum, they should not
>pass or fail only on the opinions of the voters that the government was
>able to convince to participate.
>
>If I choose to not vote in a referendum for some issue, I want this to be
>interpreted as "have the government make this decision" not "let the other
>voters make this decision."
>
>Kevin Venzke
>
>
>       
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