Tactical Voting – join the discussion

The two party political system has been in long term decline and since 2010 the UK has seen a surge in popularity of political parties who struggle to break through under the first past the post system.

Compass continues to support Proportional Representation to make all votes count. However, with the 2015 General Election fast approaching we need to think about what the role of Compass is in this highly imperfect electoral system. So we’ve set up this discussion in order for you to help guide any future action we might take.

Visit http://compassonline.forumchitchat.com/ to have your say.

In 2010 Compass members voted to back efforts to support tactical voting. This helped deny the Tories an outright majority but given the formation of the Coalition are you worried tactical voting will lead to another political arrangement that denies us a progressive future or will it make a progressive outcome more likely? Will voting for your preferred option just pave the way for your least preferred outcome or is now that time to vote out of principle? These are the dilemmas many of us face.

At the last Compass Gathering (AGM), we had a particularly interesting discussion about tactical voting and we want to extend that conversation to our wider supporter network and members who couldn’t make the event.

As part of this process we have created a discussion forum which will be active for the next two weeks. We’ll also be publishing two short articles in a week to help drive the debate. We welcome anyone and everyone to come and join the discussion.

Visit http://compassonline.forumchitchat.com/ to have your say. As ever at Compass we try to ‘be the change’ so please be inquisitive, passionate and respectful.

It’s your organisation and it’s an important discussion that will guide any future action we might take – we hope you are able to join the debate.

One thought on “Tactical Voting – join the discussion

  1. We should consider that whatever the results of the next election are, a coalition government will be necessary. With the rise of the Greens and the pressure from UKIP’s appeal to the various degrees of xenophobia, there is a real danger that the Tories may slip in again. That would truly be a tragedy. I strongly support tactical voting in the hope that, if Labour does not get the necessary majority to govern alone, its coalition will be with the Greens.
    Eric Sanders

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