Public Education on Electoral Reform Referendum Gets Funding Boost
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2009
VICTORIA - Elections BC is distributing $1 million to two groups to help inform the public about the second referendum on electoral reform to be held this spring.
British Columbians for BC-STV, which supports electoral reform, and No STV, which opposes electoral reform, will each receive $500,000 to assist their public information campaigns. The funding will be given to both groups in two instalments: $435,000 on February 2, 2009, and $65,000 on April 1, 2009.
On May 12, B.C. voters will be asked which electoral system the province should use to elect members to the Legislative Assembly: the existing electoral system (First-Past-the-Post); or the single transferable vote electoral system (BC-STV) proposed by the Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform.
In the 2005 Throne speech, held after the 2005 referendum that showed strong support for BC-STV, government acknowledged that information campaigns were needed to better inform British Columbians about the two electoral options.
“Putting public funds equally in the hands of two organizations that are on opposite sides of the electoral reform debate is designed to encourage balanced public information and discourse,” said Chief Electoral Officer Harry Neufeld. “This should help people to better understand the two options and decide how they will vote in the May 12 referendum.”
In addition to funding the two opposing electoral reform organizations, government will establish a Referendum Information Office to provide neutral information about electoral reform and the upcoming referendum.
Rules and restrictions for how the opponent and proponent groups may spend their public funds are governed by the Electoral Reform Referendum 2009 Act Regulation.
New referendum advertising rules will also be in effect under the Electoral Reform Referendum 2009 Act Regulation, which require referendum advertising sponsors to register with Elections BC before they can sponsor or conduct referendum advertising between February 1 and May 12, 2009. Registration is free.
There are no spending limits for registered referendum advertising sponsors or proponent or opponent groups, but referendum advertising and election advertising cannot be combined except by registered political parties and candidates.
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Contact:
Kenn Faris
Manager, Event Communications
Elections BC
Phone: 250-387-2949
Email: Kenn.Faris@elections.bc.ca
‘Fast Facts‘ on the 2009 Referendum on Electoral Reform
