Vancouver votes against electoral change

A plebiscite taken in Vancouver shows that 54 per cent of voters want to keep the present model of municipal government compared with 46 per cent who voted to switch to the ward system.

Results listed on the city's website show that 30,499 people voted for change while 35,813 voted to keep the at-large system of government.

Official results will be declared on October 20.

Election officials say that 66,317 people voted in Saturday's plebiscite out of a possible 293,263 eligible voters.

The question posed to voters Saturday was: Are you in favour of, or are you opposed to, abolishing the at-large system and electing members of City Council by a ward system, with boundaries as set out on the map on this ballot?

The ward system is a model used in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Winnipeg.

The ward system involves electing one politician per district, as in federal elections and would bring an additional four politicians to Vancouver's city hall.

Whereas with the current at-large system, voters vote for all 10 councillors and the top 10 vote-getters are elected to council.

Vancouver mayor, Larry Campbell supported the ward system, but not former mayor Phillip Owen, who said that model of government would only lead to increased fighting on controversial issues such as the placement of group homes and half-way houses.

A plebiscite is binding only if the authority that calls for the vote pledges to follow the results.

The last time the city held a similar vote was in February 2003, when it asked residents where they stood on bringing the Olympics to Vancouver.

In that vote, there was a 46 per cent turnout. Vancouver's 1981 plebiscite on Sunday shopping drew out 15.7 per cent of voters.