Background on the Citizens' Assembly
on Electoral Reform

In 2003, the provincial government created an independent Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform. The Assembly was composed of two randomly-selected citizens from each of the province's 79 electoral districts, plus two randomly-selected First Nations members, and a Chairperson, for a total of 161 members.

The mandate of the Citizens' Assembly was:

• to assess models for electing Members of the Legislative Assembly and to issue a report recommending whether the current model should be retained or another model should be adopted.

The Assembly was in operation from January to December 2004. It began with an education phase for members of the Assembly, then held public hearings across the province, and finally had a deliberations phase to consider its recommendation.

On Dec. 10th, the Citizens' Assembly released its report recommending that the province adopt a form of the Single Transferable Vote, which the Assembly labelled BC-STV.

For more information on the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform, visit its web-site at www.citizensassembly.bc.ca/public. The electronic version of the Assembly's report is available on their web-site in English, French, Chinese and Punjabi, as well as information for obtaining a printed copy. You will also find other learning resources, including submissions made to the Assembly by the public and invited speakers.