The New System of Voting

There around 70 or so days to go and campaigning has really begun in earnest. The big fear I have is that the new system of voting will confuse, not because folk are stupid but because its not only different from before but the system for the Scottish parliament is different from the local election.

The Scottish parliament constituency vote uses a cross, the additional or list members vote uses numbers against party lists and the local government election is numbers against individuals.

You couldn't make this up!

I did find a brilliant explanation of how local government elections work under STV on a website by Moray Youthstart. http://www.youthstart.org/STV/ . Its worth a look. Although its aimed at young people its the best explanation I have seen. reminds me of being in the parish when people used to say they got more from the children's address than from the sermon, but lets not go there!