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Electoral System Families

Electoral System Families. The Rockridge Citizens’ Assembly April 21, 2004. Electoral Systems. A means to an end Only one part of a democratic system Infinitely varied About choosing representatives Need to serve interests of: * voters * politicians * legislatures & governments. Plurality

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Electoral System Families

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  1. Electoral System Families The Rockridge Citizens’ Assembly April 21, 2004

  2. Electoral Systems • A means to an end • Only one part of a democratic system • Infinitely varied • About choosing representatives • Need to serve interests of:* voters* politicians* legislatures & governments

  3. Plurality Majority Proportional (list) Transferable Vote Mixed British ColumbiaIndia AustraliaFrance FinlandIsrael IrelandTasmania New ZealandJapan 5 Families of Electoral Systems

  4. Plurality Systems • Voters choose among local candidates • Candidate with the most votes wins • Seats ≠ votes: rewards large parties • Tends to produce adversarial 2-party competition • Elections are about choosing governments • Majority governments created • Accountability clear – not always effective

  5. Majority Systems • Voters choose among local candidates • Candidates require majority support for election • System must establish a process for producing a majority – if one not won:• second round of voting• use preferential ballots • More voters see their votes contributing to an election • Tends to work like a plurality system • Used in BC in 1952 & 1953 elections

  6. Proportional Representation (List) Systems Proportional Representation - List • Voters indicate preference for a party • Seats are allocated in proportion to votes received • Candidates elected from party lists • Leads to more parties contesting elections • Produces coalition, not 1-party majority, government • Elections about indicating preferences • No identifiable local representative • Parties can better control composition of parliamentary caucus

  7. Single Transferable Vote (PR) • Voters rank preferred candidates • Votes are ‘transferred’  proportional outcomes • Maximum voter choice among candidates & parties • Politicians represent identifiable constituencies • Increases public competition within parties • More likely than plurality to produce coalition governments • Does not discriminate against independents

  8. Mixed Systems • Combines (best) features of two other families • Combinations quite varied so it is possible to mix features of ballots forms, counting rules and electoral districting practices • Proportional variations tend to increase numbers of political parties and lead to coalition government • Some produce two different types of legislators • May produce two different kinds of parties operating quite differently

  9. Some Key Questions: • Do you want to have an identifiable local representative you choose? Why? • Is proportionality an issue of importance?If so, how proportional does the system need to be? • What kind of choice do voters need? • Is it better to have elections with 2 parties competing for office OR is it better to have lots of parties to choose from? • Is single-party majority or coalition government better?

  10. Remember: • None of those key questions is directly about electoral institutions • Answering questions about what kind of political society we want comes first • Electoral systems are only one kind of institution that helps us get there • There is no perfect electoral system • All involve trade-offs between desirable features • We can’t predict how another system may work here in BC – there are always unexpected, unintended consequences of any institutional design

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