In the North West we have 12 parties, each with 8 candidates who are ranked in priority. There are 8 seats which is the second highest representation in the UK.
The parties are: Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green, BNP (British National Party), No2EU, JT (Jury Team), UKIP (United Kingdom Independance Party), CPCPA (Christian Party – Christian Peoples Alliance), English Democrat, Lib – EU (Libertas), SLP (Socialist Labour Party). One independant.
We all have one vote for one party or an independant. As there are 8 MEP’s in the North West each party has 8 candidates as theoretically if a party got all the votes it could have 8 MEP’s. However proportional representation will give significant others a seat. Theoretically a party with more than one eighth of the vote will get a seat but in practise probably needing a quarter. Can’t say I’m an expert on this and have only done the sums mentally using the formula. In summary in a given region the allocated seats are awarding using a quota system. The quota is the total number of votes received by a party or independent candidate divided by the number of seats they’ve already gained in that region +1.
I vote in every election. Not voting is a statement but I’d prefer to give a rebel vote if I was so disillusioned with the candidates. No-one represents fully what I want but there are candidates I wouldn’t vote for so they are out. All parties have things I don’t like but some have things I believe in. So a few are in with a chance and I’ll judge who satisfies me the most on balance.
Who are Jury Team, CPCPA, Libertas?
Jury Team are a party who are against parties and want politicians to vote for what their voters want.
CPCPA are a Christian, pro-referendum, anti-poverty group.
Libertas is a pan-European, pro-European, pro-democratic EU party.
So I’ve narrowed my voting list to: Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green, CPCPA, Libertas.
Think I’ll look into Libertas some more as a pan-European, make the EU more democratic stance sounds interesting. I’m pro-EU, pro-pound sterling but not anti-Euro.
Find out more. http://www.europarl.org.uk/section/european-elections/candidates
Thanks for the info.
Not sure where to put my vote at the minute. I’ve spoiled a paper before and not voted when it was postal vote only.
But, looking at the BNP list of candidates with Nick Griffin top of the North West list, I think I’m going to have to make my vote count to deny him a seat in Europe. (bit ironic ?)