…but local campaigners are doing just that this Saturday

The result in the General Election in Fermanagh & South Tyrone (FST) could hardly have been closer. Both Michelle Gildernew (Sinn Féin) and Rodney Connor (Independent) got 45.5% of the vote back in May. With 4 votes between them the result was taken to a costly electoral court. Would a vote using the Alternative Vote (AV) have made the result any clearer? Would it have made a difference?

Stephen Glenn, Northern Ireland Organiser, and the Yes to  Fairer Votes team will be running a re-run* of the FST parliamentary election by AV to launch the Northern Irish campaign for a Yes vote in next May’s referendum.

Stephen Glenn says that:

AV will ensure

1. Harder working MPs

   They will need to secure at least 50% of the vote to be certain of winning. They’ll need to work harder and go further to get – and keep – your support. They’ll have to appeal to more people in the communities they seek to represent, because doing just enough won’t be enough any more.

2. A vote that really counts

   Forget tactical voting – just pick the candidate you really want to win. But if your favourite doesn’t win you can still have a say. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3…

3. Tackling jobs for life

   Too many MPs have ‘safe seats’ or jobs for life, and the expenses crisis showed us just where that culture can lead. Now you can help end that culture of complacency.

We’ll be waiting for the results of the sample taken on Saturday. Watch this space.

* Stephen and his team are happy for others to join them – they are meeting at Enniskillen Town Hall on Saturday at 11am, contact Stephen on 07585 400917 if you would like to help.

Related Articles

• Northern Ireland court rejects legal challenge against Sinn Féin MP (guardian.co.uk)
• “three extra votes remain unaccounted for” (Michelle Gildernew remains MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone) (sluggerotoole.com)
• Sinn Fein retain Fermanagh South Tryone seat (politics.ie)