Following on from comments in yesterday’s Dom Post, they have followed up today with a front page story with Kerry blaming STV, not Celia, for any impending defeat (and her language seems to suggest she sees defeat as inveitable).
“At this stage, Celia [Wade-Brown] can’t beat me, but STV can. I don’t think members of the public have really understood the system. Some do, but the majority don’t understand.”
Ms Prendergast polled 41 per cent of first preferences in Saturday’s vote, ahead of the 34.9 per cent she won in 2007.
“The people need to understand that the votes for Kerry were 3300 ahead of votes for Celia and yet potentially Celia could win.”
David Farrar seems to echo these comments, blaming.
“The STV system was better used by the left, with their preferences staying with other left candidates”.
However, I think when you look at the full situation, it shows a mixed picture. Sure, if we were working with FPP, Kerry would have won and have a majority of 41%. However, Celia has managed to pull together enough preferences to get within a whisker, despite some on the left totally not understanding STV.
There were 2,140 people who voted for Jack Yan but did not give either Kerry or Celia a preference.
If these people had given Celia their second preferences, she would be mayor by now.
WCC Watch 
Oh heavens, STV simply means that given a straight choice between Celia and Kerry, more voters opt for Celia.
The idea that Kerry could win on 41% (i.e. with 59% opposed to her) is completely unfair.
1-2-3 voting is the fairest system around.
If the votes go against her today, Kerry should bow out with grace and dignity – it doesn’t suit her to go around grumping and blaming the system, I may not have voted for her but she’s a better politician than that. (plus I’m sure she’s got a future ahead with the Nats in national politics if she wants it)
Fingers, toes and much else crossed for Celia on the specials today!
Kerry knows she’s lost! She sounds terrified!
That’s how I read it too. David Farrar said Celia just needs 52% of the special votes to win, which on past voting patterns should be highly likely…
Still there’ll be nerves all around until the final result gets announced…
Jack Yan (and followers) appeared to be actively suggesting that preferences should be awarded only to those you directly wanted, and not to any who you didn’t necessarily want (and I have to admit to re-tweeting one of his tweets along these lines).
It was only after I read the excellent Public Address posting on STV I realised this was wrong, that the process is a little more nuanced than that…
Surely if you don’t “directly want” someone you don’t give a preference to them. So if you’re a Jack Yan supporter who’s neutral between Celia and Kerry, you vote Yan 1 and then don’t transfer ?
Seriously, 1-2-3 voting (STV) is really not that complicated…
Kerry’s problem was that polls are FPP and the election was STV. Her polling would have given her a clear majority (see 1st iteration) and a false sense of security.
Yay for STV (which I didn’t hear her complaining about when she was elected in 2007) and I think it’s Kerry who doesn’t understand the way it works or she would have guarded against being such a polarising figure.
That was such a silly comment from Kerry. Had the election been held under FPP Celia could have made exactly the same comment. Also who nows how many people under FPP might have tactically voted Celia to get rid of Kerry?
Anyhoo, more voters preferred Celia to Kerry so there’s nothing for Kerry to ungraciously moan about.