IEUAN Ferrer (Letters, July 19) is right to point out that the public will need to see that the concept of Alternative Voting (AV) will give a fairer outcome when voting.

The first-past-the-post system means that in many constituencies the outcome of an election is entirely predictable.

That means that the preferences of many voters are not taken into account in the election of MPs.

Frequently, MPs are elected with a minority of the votes. Many voters decide that it is not worth voting, which leads to MPs being elected with less than one third of the electorate voting for them.

In turn, this contributes to widespread disillusion with politics.

The Alternative Vote system will encourage more of the electorate to take part in the ballot and this will lead to more representative results in elections.

It is to be hoped in the lead up to the referendum we shall be provided with clear details of how the system works, or otherwise voters will be apathetic and the opportunity of improving our political system missed.

Richard Benson, St Josephs Court, Tedder Road, York.