Vote at Welsh council on adopting single transferable vote fails, despite majority support

A vote to adopt the Single Transferable Vote (STV) at Ceredigion County Council, which did not meet the two-thirds majority required to pass, has shown that a majority of councillors (51%) supported the motion.

At a special meeting held earlier this month (14 November), 18 councillors voted for adopting STV, and 17 voted against it.

A two-thirds majority, or 26 votes, was required for the motion to pass.

A council-run public consultation held over the summer revealed that 67% of the 475 respondents supported adopting the STV system for future local county council elections, with 30% preferring the current first-past-the-post system and 3% having no preference for the type of voting system used in the future.

Ceredigion currently uses the simple majority system, also known as first past the post.

The STV system proposed would have allowed voters to list candidates in order of preference by marking 1, 2, and 3 against the names of the individual candidates on the ballot paper.

Under the system, candidates must have a certain quota of votes in order to be elected.

Cllr Bryan Davies, Ceredigion County Council Leader and Cabinet member responsible for Democratic Services, said: “We’re grateful to everyone who participated in the consultation process.

“While the outcome of the vote reflects a diverse range of opinions within the Council, it is clear that the discussion surrounding electoral reform remains a priority for many members.

“Voting at Ceredigion County Council local elections will continue with the current first-past-the-post system.”

Adam Carey