10. Elections and Electoral systems Flashcards
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What are the core components in electoral systems?
Ballot structure: What does the voting form look like?
Electoral formula: According to which mathematical principle are votes translated into seats?
District magnitude: How many representatives are elected per electoral constituency?
What are the most common typologies, based on (dis)proportionality for electoral systems?
- Plurality systems
- Proportional systems
- Mixed systems
What are 5 types of plurality systems?
First Past the Post (FPTP) system
Block Voting (BV) system
Party Block Vote (PBV) system
Two-round system
Alternative Vote (AV) system
What are some characteristics of First Past the Post (FPTP) system?
One seat per electoral district, to the candidate with the most votes
Extreme disproportionality
Relative or absolute majority (plurality vs. majority)
What is the difference from the First Past the Post (FPTP) system to the Block Voting (BV) system and the
Party Block Vote (PBV) system?
The Block Voting (BV) system
I Increase number of seats per constituency
Party Block Vote (PBV) system
Multiple seats per constituency, parties propose list
Single vote for list in its entirety
What are the advantages of a plurality system?
Simplicity
The voter decides who rules
Limited fragmentation of party system
Clear connection between voter and representative
What are disadvantages of a plurality system?
Few opportunities for smaller parties
Legitimacy in decision-making
Risk of manipulation
Exclusion of minorities
Describe the 2 types of majority systems?
Two-round system
Organisation second round in the absence of
absolute majority
Alternative Vote (AV) system
Preferential system w/ ranked candidates
What is a proportional system?
Seats in proportion to electoral results
Name three Proportional systems!
Closed-list system: Seats assigned to order of candidates
Open-list system: Preference vote for individual candidates
Candidates in open-list systems are more motivated
to engage in individual campaigns (Carey and
Shugart 1995)
Flexible-list system: List vote or preference vote
What are different variations in proportional systems?
One-tier vs. two-tier seat allocation
Single Transferable Vote (STV): Preferential system, where candidates are ranked and need to obtain quorum
What determines proportionality?
Electoral formula
Mathematical formula that translates votes into seats
Can, obviously, affect degree of proportionality
What determines proportionality?
District size
Larger districts are more proportionate
Size of district determines ‘effective threshold’, i.e. de
facto votes needed for seat
Common short-cut: 75/(M+1) (Lijphart 2012)
What determines proportionality?
Formal threshold
Percentage of votes needed to be allowed to seat
distribution
What are the advantages of the Proportional system?
Parliament is more representative
Minorities have more chances
More freedom for party leadership
Further legitimacy following compromise
