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)