Two pieces of legislation were introduced today including one on the electoral reform referendum.
The bill allows the referendum to take place before the end of November 2018.
The reason for that date is so if it were to pass, the government could implement the new system before the next provincial election scheduled for 2021.
Voters need to reach 50% of the votes cast plus one vote in favour, in order to pass.
“Today we have taken the first step toward asking British Columbians if they want a change from the current voting system,” says Attorney General David Eby.
“We are taking steps to modernize our democracy today, while giving people the power to decide the future of our most fundamental democratic institution.”
The Electoral Reform Referendum 2018 Act lays the terms for a province-wide referendum on proportional representation.
In the coming months, the provincial government is expected to promote active debate and discussion by providing information on electoral systems.
The legislation allows voters to submit their ballot by mail to the chief electoral officer.
Elections BC will mail referendum ballots to all registered voters in the fall of 2018.
This referendum was promised by the NDP during the election process.
Today we began laying the groundwork for a referendum on #electoralreform, so you can have a say in how you elect your gov't. #bcpoli pic.twitter.com/8BU4KN2HAq
— John Horgan (@jjhorgan) October 4, 2017
The other piece of legislation announced today is to amend the Constitution Act.
The act reduces the number of seats required for recognized political party status from four to two, changes the fixed date election to a Saturday in October, and strengthen the institutional stability of government in the event, for example, of a natural disaster.
“These changes are aimed to bring B.C.’s democratic institutions into the 21st century, and to lay the groundwork for a referendum, where British Columbians will decide whether to change our electoral system,” Eby says.