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Electoral Systems

Electoral Systems. Ensuring Representation, Ensuring Stability March 25 th , 2004. Electoral Systems. are never neutral help ensure certain outcomes and make other outcomes less likely the question – which type of outcome do different electoral systems favour??.

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Electoral Systems

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  1. Electoral Systems Ensuring Representation, Ensuring Stability March 25th, 2004

  2. Electoral Systems • are never neutral • help ensure certain outcomes and make other outcomes less likely • the question – which type of outcome do different electoral systems favour??

  3. Canadian National Election Results, 2000

  4. 1998 Quebec Provincial Election

  5. Canadian National Election Results, 1979

  6. Single Member Plurality System (SMPS) • one representative per geographic area (riding, constituency, district) • ‘first-past-the-post’, ‘winner-take-all’ system • win a seat by having more votes than the next candidate • i.e. do not need a majority (50%+1) • to win overall election, party does NOT have to win the most votes

  7. Effects of SMPS • tends to over-represent strongest party (more seats than votes warrant) • helps ensure majority government • decisive leadership • accountability • stability (governments do not fall often) • distorts patterns of representation

  8. Distortion under SMPS • example: Canada • exacerbates regional differences in party support • favours parties with concentrated regional support • i.e. encourages regional parties • organizes regional issues into Canadian politics • discourages minor national parties (e.g. with diffuse support) • e.g. parties appeal to social class • organizes class issues out of Canadian politics • exacerbates regionalized images of parties • creates impression that parties have little regional support

  9. % of Party Seats in Each Region, 2000

  10. Alternative Systems: Proportional Representation • representation (# of seats) directly proportional to share of popular vote received (# of votes)

  11. Hypothetical Results Under Different Electoral Systems - 2000 Election

  12. Electoral Systems & Democracy • SMPS • exaggerates political dominance of largest group of voters to emphasize leadership, stability and accountability • do all models of democracy value bold leadership equally?? • creates false majority rule • concern with rights of minorities? • concern with representation? • proportional representation • more competition and choice • better representation of various interests • more effective and meaningful political participation • higher level of consensus required for government to act

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