The B.C. premier and the B.C. Green leader are trying to whip up support for proportional representation, as the deadline to submit ballots draw near.
The NDP made electoral reform an election promise in 2017, and holding a referendum was a crucial part of its agreement with the Green party.
On Sunday, the leaders of both parties shared the stage and used themselves as an example of how proportional representation can bring greater cooperation to the legislature.
"We’ve been elected to work together, and we will,” Green party leader Andrew Weaver said. “We realize that whenever we disagree, we focus on what we do agree on. And when we focus on what we agree on, things get done."
Premier John Horgan has been targetting younger voters, trying to sell proportional representation as modern and saying it could give them a louder voice in democracy.
“If you were woke, you’d know pro rep is lit,” Horgan said during a debate earlier this month, which garnered a lot of social media attention.
But despite the fact people appear to be engaged, even attending a rally to show their support for proportional representation, only 18 per cent of ballots have been returned as of Nov. 16.
"We don't want people to go to rallies. We just want them to put their ballot in the mail and make sure they vote for first past the post,” said Bill Tieleman, President of No BC Proportional Representation Society.
Tieleman is pitching that the province should maintain the status quo, adding minority governments in Canada have an average life span of 18 months.
"Why would we change systems and go to something that's really quite untested? Two of the three systems that are being proposed in this Proportional Representation Referendum have never been tried anywhere in the world,” he said.
Not sure what the options are? Here's a quick explainer.
Voters have until midnight on Nov. 23 to request a ballot if they haven't received one, and Elections BC must have received them back by 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 30.
With files from CTV Vancouver’s Ben Miljure
