Virtues of Proportional Representation System

In “Competition Isn’t Everything” (Commentary, Feb. 2), state Sen. Kevin Murray suggests that legislative districts in which 65% of voters are represented are better than “competitive” districts in which only 50% are represented.

What about districts in which close to 100% of voters have representation?

This is called proportional representation, and it is possible through choice voting in multi-member districts -- among other proportional methods.

Even after the boundaries of single-member districts are reshuffled by supposedly neutral judges, we would still have the same old winner-take-all politics we have now.

Ranked voting offers a voice for all, and is gaining momentum both locally, for example in Santa Monica, and across the continent. The voters of British Columbia will decide on May 17 whether to adopt choice voting for their provincial Legislature. We should take a look at it ourselves.

Robert J. Richard

Kentfield, Calif.

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It’s amazing that our state Legislature has become so entrenched that one of its members would write an article wondering what’s so great about having competitive elections and defending our gerrymandered districts.

Surely Murray realizes that though some politically homogenous neighborhoods are kept intact, others are split up so that few of their residents live in a like-minded district, and that these district lines have been drawn intentionally to create these conditions.

That aside, here are some things that are good about competitive elections, despite the fact that, yes, they cost money, require a lot of effort and bring out the differences among voters. Accountability: Legislators are more responsible to their constituents. Quality: Candidates will actually have to make a case to the voters that they deserve to be elected. Bipartisan cooperation: Legislators will have to win over voters from both parties in closely fought contests and will have incentive to work together and compromise. More involved electorate: Although our recent national election was divisive, voter turnout was at a record level and more people are politically active than ever before.

Anne Schwarz

Los Angeles