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The Language of Electoral Systems
The Language of Electoral Systems
Concepts and FamiliesConcepts and Families
ObjectivesObjectives
to learn about basic vocabulary used to describe electoral systemsto provide a broad overview of the four families of electoral systems
to learn about basic vocabulary used to describe electoral systemsto provide a broad overview of the four families of electoral systems
What are electoral systems?What are electoral systems?
What are electoral systems?What are electoral systems?
An electoral system determines the rules by which votes are translated into seats.
An electoral system determines the rules by which votes are translated into seats.
How do we understand an election?How do we understand an election?
the total of 103 single contests?candidate focussed
one province-wide contest among political parties?
party focussed
the total of 103 single contests?candidate focussed
one province-wide contest among political parties?
party focussed
The way we understand an election is in part related to what we think is
important.
The variety of electoral systems around the world suggests that citizens value different things.
The way we understand an election is in part related to what we think is
important.
The variety of electoral systems around the world suggests that citizens value different things.
The language of electoral systemsThe language of electoral systems
Ballot StructureBallot StructureElectoral FormulaElectoral Formula
District MagnitudeDistrict Magnitude
Ballot StructureBallot Structure
The language of electoral systemsThe language of electoral systems
Ballot structure = ways of making choicesBallot structure = ways of making choices
categorical -- one choice (exclusive)can be for a candidate or partymore choice or simplicity?
categorical -- one choice (exclusive)can be for a candidate or partymore choice or simplicity?
ordinal -- ranking choices (preferential)preferences based on ranking of candidates
ordinal -- ranking choices (preferential)preferences based on ranking of candidates
Ballot structure = ways of making choicesBallot structure = ways of making choices
Ballot structure is a product of what you value
Ballot structure is a product of what you value
do you value a candidate-based system?do you value a party-based system?
do you value a candidate-based system?do you value a party-based system?
Ballot structure can be can candidate based, party based or both
Ballot structure can be can candidate based, party based or both
Categorical Ordinal
Candidate-based
FPTP(Canada)
STV(Ireland)
Party-based Closed List(South Africa)
Open List(Finland)
Mixed MMP(Germany)
How do you vote?How do you vote?
Who do you vote
for?
Who do you vote
for?
[Adapted from Farrell 2001, p. 170][Adapted from Farrell 2001, p. 170]
Ballot structure is directly related to...Ballot structure is directly related to...
voter choiceexclusive or preferential ranking
accountabilityparty or candidate or both
simplicity
voter choiceexclusive or preferential ranking
accountabilityparty or candidate or both
simplicity
The language of electoral systemsThe language of electoral systems
Ballot StructureBallot StructureElectoral FormulaElectoral Formula
District MagnitudeDistrict Magnitude
District magnitude = number of representatives in each electoral district
District magnitude = number of representatives in each electoral district
single-member = one representative per districtmulti-member = more than one representative per district
single-member = one representative per districtmulti-member = more than one representative per district
District magnitude is directly related to...
District magnitude is directly related to...
fairness of representationproportionality
accountabilityfrom a single member or multi-members
fairness of representationproportionality
accountabilityfrom a single member or multi-members
Party AParty A Party BParty B Party CParty C Party DParty D
votes 2500 1500 600 400
percentage of total vote 50% 30% 12% 8%
If ONE seat 1 0 0 0
percentage of seats 100% 0 0 0
If FIVE seats 3 2 0 0
percentage of seats 60% 40% 0 0
If TEN seats 5 3 1 1
percentage of seats 50% 30% 10% 10%
How District Magnitude Affects Proportionality
How District Magnitude Affects Proportionality
The language of electoral systemsThe language of electoral systems
Ballot StructureBallot StructureElectoral FormulaElectoral Formula
District MagnitudeDistrict Magnitude
Electoral formula = determining who is the winner
Electoral formula = determining who is the winner
•electoral formulas that govern how candidates win:majority: successful candidate receives
50% plus oneplurality: successful candidate receives
at least one more vote than anyone else proportional: candidates elected in
proportion to the votes
•electoral formulas that govern how candidates win:majority: successful candidate receives
50% plus oneplurality: successful candidate receives
at least one more vote than anyone else proportional: candidates elected in
proportion to the votes
Electoral formula = deciding the rules by which party wins
Electoral formula = deciding the rules by which party wins
•electoral formulas that govern how parties win:in our system government is formed
by the number of successful wins at the local levelproportionality: seats are allocated
among parties in proportion to their share of vote
•electoral formulas that govern how parties win:in our system government is formed
by the number of successful wins at the local levelproportionality: seats are allocated
among parties in proportion to their share of vote
Proportional representation formulaProportional representation formula
Electoral formulas can determine how many seats a party wins overallElectoral formulas can also determine who gets seats in a district
Electoral formulas can determine how many seats a party wins overallElectoral formulas can also determine who gets seats in a district
Electoral formula is related to...Electoral formula is related to...
legitimacyfairness of representationstable and effective government
legitimacyfairness of representationstable and effective government
All three elements can be combined in different ways in each of the four
families of electoral systems.
All three elements can be combined in different ways in each of the four
families of electoral systems.
The four families of electoral systems
The four families of electoral systems
Plurality Majority
Proportional Mixed
The four families of electoral systems
The four families of electoral systems
Plurality
The plurality familyThe plurality family
ballot type is categorical (exclusive)district magnitude is usually one (single member districts)-- but can varyformula is plurality; candidate with the most number of votes winsused in Canada, UK, India, US and 62 others
ballot type is categorical (exclusive)district magnitude is usually one (single member districts)-- but can varyformula is plurality; candidate with the most number of votes winsused in Canada, UK, India, US and 62 others
The four families of electoral systems
The four families of electoral systems
Plurality Majority
The majority familyThe majority family
ballot type can be categorical or ordinaldistrict magnitude is one, (single member districts)candidate requires 50%+1 vote to winused in Australia, France, Egypt, Mali
ballot type can be categorical or ordinaldistrict magnitude is one, (single member districts)candidate requires 50%+1 vote to winused in Australia, France, Egypt, Mali
The four families of electoral systems
The four families of electoral systems
Plurality Majority
Proportional
The proportional familyThe proportional family
ballot is usually categorical but can be ordinal (single transferable vote)district magnitude is always greater than one (multi-member districts)formula is proportional: vote share equals seat share
ballot is usually categorical but can be ordinal (single transferable vote)district magnitude is always greater than one (multi-member districts)formula is proportional: vote share equals seat share
The proportional familyThe proportional family
usually party based electionsfound in Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland, South Africa and 68 others
usually party based electionsfound in Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland, South Africa and 68 others
The four families of electoral systems
The four families of electoral systems
Plurality Majority
Proportional Mixed
The mixed familyThe mixed family
ballot structure is both for candidate (first tier) and party (second tier)a mixture of local constituency seats (first tier) and at-large party seats (second tier) , so multi-member constituenciesformula is usually plurality at first tier + proportional at second tier
ballot structure is both for candidate (first tier) and party (second tier)a mixture of local constituency seats (first tier) and at-large party seats (second tier) , so multi-member constituenciesformula is usually plurality at first tier + proportional at second tier
Where do we go from here?Where do we go from here?
Next two weekends we will examine each of these families to determine:
How each works and what are the variations found within them.How does each family reflect our principles (i.e., the tradeoffs associated with each family)
Next two weekends we will examine each of these families to determine:
How each works and what are the variations found within them.How does each family reflect our principles (i.e., the tradeoffs associated with each family)
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