Why we think Powys should switch to STV for elections

The county council is currently consulting on a change to Single Transferable Vote (STV) system for local county council elections - this is why we think STV should be used.

Currently you will be familar with using the First Past the Post (FPTP) voting system for local county council elections - this is where you put a cross in the box who you want to win and the winner is the one with the most votes, but not the one with the most proportional votes...

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At the last election in 2022, 52,553 votes were cast which resulted in the Liberal Democrats getting the most seats with 24. However, the results were not exactly proportional...

As the table below reveals, independent councillors only got 32 votes less than Liberal Democrats, but ended up with 7 less councillors.

We've worked out that based on a proportional voting system, such as STV, that the results of the 2022 would have been very different. They would have resulted in Independents getting 19 (+2) seats, Welsh Conservatives getting 15 (+1) seats, Welsh Liberal Democrats gaining 19 (-5), Welsh Labour getting 10 (+1) seats with the others unchanged.

Whilst STV is regarded as 'more complicated' and possibly more expensive to administer, it gives a better electoral outcome ensuring that every single vote counts. No more tactial voting required and parties must work together to ensure a majority administration. For more information on STV please visit this article from the Electoral Reform Society Cymru.

For more details and to take part in the consultation, click here. The closing date for responses is Monday 30 September 2024.