The voting period for the referendum on electoral reform is underway but questions keep coming about voting mechanics, riding changes and how a new voting system could shift power in the legislature.

Those topics and more arose during the Q&A period at an information session hosted by pro-proportional representation (PR) group Fair Vote Sunshine Coast, which drew between 75 and 100 people to the Seaside Centre on Oct. 27.

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With PR, the number of party seats in the legislature is proportional to the popular vote, whereas under the current first-past-the-post system, the number of seats is equal to the number of candidates elected in ridings across the province.

NDP MLA Nicholas Simons defended PR at the event and later told Coast Reporter proportional representation systems “all give a stronger voice to all voters” and that it “makes elected officials talk to each other.” He called the current first-past-the-post (FPTP) system “a system of disproportional underrepresentation, where voices try to drown each other out.”

Green Party member Stephanie Grindon and Fair Vote chair Bet Cecil, both in favour of PR, gave a rundown of the options and referenced elected officials from across the political spectrum who support PR, including a recently-surfaced video of former B.C. premier Christy Clark urging the public to vote against the first-past-the-post FPTP system during the 2009 electoral reform referendum. Clark has since stated her opposition to PR systems.

The speakers also addressed another video, released by No Proportional Representation Society of BC last week, which references neo-Nazis and warns that with PR voting systems “extremists are elected to legislatures with a tiny percentage of votes.” The video came up when an audience member asked why the “no” side was using scare tactics in its campaign.

“Proportional systems end up being protective, contrary to some of the things being said by the No people,” said Cecil in response. “You have a less chance of an extremist party taking over, because they cannot form a government with 39 per cent of the popular vote.”

Simons acknowledged the political element behind the referendum campaigns. “There are some political wins and losses that are being contemplated by both sides,” said Simons. “Everything around this referendum is being interpreted by the opponents as somehow trying to rig something. We just have to move that out of the way.”

Other questions centred around how the three potential PR systems could change ridings by increasing the size of districts or the number of MLAs representing them. Grindon acknowledged many of those answers are “yet to be determined,” since details will only emerge following the referendum and chosen voting system.

Simons also addressed the rotating strikes at Canada Post. According to Elections BC, the Chief Electoral Officer can extend the voting period if the referendum is affected by the strike.

The session finished with a folksong by Judy Hoeppner.

Households should have received voting packages with mail-in ballots between Oct. 22 and Nov. 2. Packages may be requested until Nov. 23. Ballots must be received by Elections BC by 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 30.