First (past the) post

Photo © nickj365

Voters across the UK go to the polls today to vote in a referendum on the future of the system by which MPs are elected to the UK Parliament. At the same time, voters in Wales will elect Members of the Welsh Assembly Government; those in Scotland will choose their representatives in the Scottish Parliament; there are local elections in 279 local authorities in England; and in Northern Ireland there are elections for the Northern Ireland Assembly and local elections (the BBC news website has a full list).

The election which has attracted most attention in the media is the UK-wide referendum on electoral reform, where we are being asked to choose between 'First Past the Post' (the existing system) and a new (to us) system known as Alternative Vote (AV), which (at least in theory) is a better representation of the intentions of voters. Despite a series of informational leaflets issued by the Electoral Commission, there is still widespread lack of knowledge of the Alternative Vote system, not helped by the scaremongering tactics of some supporters of the 'No' campaign.

Here are some annotated links to resources of interest, some factual, some entertaining. 

• Johann Hari: If you get the X Factor you'll get AV
  Independent columnist Johann Hari uses an analogy with The X-Factor to criticise the claims of some in the 'No' camp that AV is too complicated. Well written and entertaining - I particularly enjoyed the bit about the Mars bar and the Twix!
  
• Electoral Reform Society: Overview of AV and of other voting systems
  Useful if, like me, you haven't got your head round AV and why it is better/worse than other options. Also helpful if you live in one of the devolved nations and have one system for your local assembly/parliament, another for Westminster elections and today are voting on replacing that with a third system! (The Welsh Assembly, the Scottish Parliament and the Greater London Assembly, as well as the German Bundestag, use AMS (Additional Member System, also known as Mixed Member Proportional); the Northern Ireland Assembly uses STV (Single Transferable Vote).
  
• BBC News guide to AV
  Includes yet another graphic showing what happens under AV until one candidate gets 50% or more of the vote. Also includes a useful guide to where the parties stand on AV.
  
• The Guardian guide to AV
  Lots of information, including an 'interactive guide', who supports which side, and the latest news.
  
• Young Voters' Question Time (via BBC iPlayer, till 10 May)
  Version of Question Time for young voters. The second half is dedicated to a discussion of the AV referendum. Chair Richard Bacon seems to have difficulty in remaining impartial, and at times struggles to manage the panellists. Overall a slightly disappointing programme with some enlightening and entertaining moments.
  
• Stephen Fry on why you should vote Yes
  Fry articulate as ever and backed up by some fancy graphics, though unfortunately coming across as slightly patronising in this one.
  
• Let's AV a Beer
  FPTP gives you coffee when 70% of you would rather go down the pub.
  
• Is your cat confused about the referendum on 5th May?
  Entertaining YouTube video explaining AV in terms of "cat" and "dog" votes.