The first recorded election under a proportional representation (PR) system took place on 17 December 1819, when the Birmingham Society for Scientific and Literary Improvement elected their Committee using new rules invented by one of their members, Thomas Wright Hill. Hill’s method, which focused on the proportionate representation of the preferences of individual voters, evolved into the Single Transferable Vote system (STV), which is now used by a range of parliaments and other public bodies, including the RSS itself.
The schedule for the evening will be as follows:
4.30: Registration
5.00: Klina Jordan (Make Votes Matter)
What makes a good voting system?
5.30: Ian Simpson (Electoral Reform Society)
The case for STV in local elections: lessons from Scotland
6.00: tea/coffee break
6.30: Denis Mollison (Heriot-Watt University)
Fair votes in practice
Full Abstracts available HERE
Attendance is free and open to all, whether fellows of the RSS or not, but pre-registration is required.
Register Attendence