Serious PJ Thum: It's blatant gerrymandering, and it's wrong!

[superpower]

Population has increased throughout the island, so how can it be used to justify drastic redrawing of boundaries in only certain contituencies?

 

[True Believer]

To begin with, the Elections Dept is not an independent body, but forms part of the executive branch under the Prime Minister which enables the PAP to decide electoral boundaries, based on poll results in the previous election.

 

[True Believer]

Proportional and illustrative representation is denied through gerrymandering by the PAP.

 

[True Believer]

Gerrymandering establishes a political advantage for the PAP by influencing electoral boundaries to create partisan advantaged districts. Such electoral engineering hands the ruling party the upper hand at the elections.

 

[True Believer]

Gerrymandering is accomplished by spreading voters of a particular persuasion among several constituencies to deny them an influential voting bloc in a particular area. If voters who previously supported the Opposition are split among several wards which were pro-PAP at the last election, the presumption is that the incumbent will triumph in that redrawn political boundary.

 

[True Believer]

Manipulating electoral boundaries is effective because of the “wasted vote” effect. By moving geographic boundaries, the PAP packs opposition voters into a few constituencies that the Opposition will likely win, wasting those extra votes. Remaining wards are more tightly constructed, with the opposition party permitted bare minority support. These constituencies constitute the majority of wards and are drawn to produce a result favouring the manipulators.

 

[True Believer]

Opposition party voters may also be directed into a particular ward to reduce their influence in other constituencies. Representation is obtained for the PAP's candidate instead of diluting support over several constituencies, which is counterproductive.

 

[batman1]

Legalised corruption. 555

 

[True Believer]

Gerrymandering prevents the achievement of proportional and illustrative representation since the winner is determined by the incumbent party which draws the electoral boundaries, rather than the preferences of the constituents.

 

[True Believer]

Legalised corruption. 555

 

[jsctan]

Sinkies are just not discerning. Only can see short term gains.