Hello

I came across this survey from the Liberal Democrats on X.

https://x.com/LibDems4ER/status/2064603649506979862?s=20

It contains a link that conducts a survey about electoral reform to drum up support for PR. I used it to bring up the VETO option. 

Whether you support PR or not, it's a fantastic opportunity to bring VETO to their attention. It's an effortless survey to complete.

Section 8 states:

Please share any other comments you have on our politics - and/or any feedback would you like to leave for all politicians?

I responded as follows:

Fairness to voters should be the central concern of every election.

There are many types of PR, but they all suffer to varying extents from the same massive design flaw. PR assigns 100% of seats without ensuring everyone who wanted to vote had adequate representation.

Some voters remain unrepresented, others must vote for the least-bad option, some will still have unresolved issues, and depending on the type of PR, there still could be some tactical voting.

Without addressing this issue, PR still bakes in poor governance, as it's still only concerned with political parties.

The remedy is an option on ballots for legislative elections that reads, "I VETO this election."

The principle that applies is that a percentage VETO results in the same percentage of empty seats. For example, if there is a 30% veto, then 30% of the seats will remain empty. The rest are assigned as per vote share. This arrangement retains proportionality, allows more voters to be represented in future elections, and keeps pressure on elected MPs to do a competent job; otherwise, even more seats will become empty.

Above all, this option provides elected officials with essential information to aid governance and the incentive to improve it.

The pattern and quantity of vetoes can help identify where resources need to be allocated, determine if policies are effective (since it is much harder to know if they work without public feedback), and reveal any unforeseen second-order effects. 

Politics stops being about "politics" and starts being about giving voters the best possible representation.

I would love to see a world in which politics is the most respected profession and not the most roundly despised.

Maximise the common good by putting voters in charge, as they live with the consequences of your decisions.


It would be wonderful if hundreds of people answered the survey and included the above or similar in this section. Of course you are free to write what you want!

I didn't use my website; I don't know why. But you can add it: www.vetocampaign.com

Or you can link to the petition: https://c.org/PygyJJRRz9

Please take a moment to mention the veto to the LDP in a way they will find difficult to ignore. Golden opportunity, imo.

In other news, I think I am finally making some progress. 

I have a fantastic response from this promoted X post. I am using the minimum spend and have got loads of signatures from there.

I am verified on YouTube and got 19,000 views on a modest budget for a video. Not much engagement, but I am still learning the ropes. (Please subscribe and comment.)

I am also verified on FB; please follow the page.

Amazingly, FB doesn't allow any criticism of the electoral system in advertised posts! It's crazy. So, I got to figure that out.

I will try and get myself on podcasts next.

For the first time I feel quite certain I can make the VETO a topic of conversation.

So, thanks for reading, and please do that survey; we would appreciate it.

Regards,

Rohin

(The Veto Campaign)