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Flashcards in 6. Electoral systems Deck (27)
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1
Q

Define electoral system

A

The formalities through which Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected.

=> electoral law: All legislation concerning elections.

2
Q

Define electoral formula

A

Methodology used to transform votes into seats in Parliament.

3
Q

2 main types that electoral formula distinguish

A

Majority systems

  1. Plurality
  2. Majority

Proportional representation

  1. methods based on dividers
  2. methods based on quota
4
Q

Overview of majority systems

A
  • The candidate who obtains the majority of the votes wins.
  • Majority systems are usually connected to uninominal districts.
  • Majority systems have a selective effect on the political system.
  • We can distinguish to main majority systems:
    1. Plurality
    2. Majority
5
Q

Plurality

A
  • It is also called First Past the Post (FPTP). 
  • Candidates are elected with just a relative majority.
  • It is the system adopted in the UK.
6
Q

Plurality case: UK

A
  • Under the UK’s multiparty system, in the most extreme case you could comfortably win the popular vote but get no seats in the House of Commons by coming second in every constituency.
  • What is more common is to see is a party winning a majority in Parliament with as little as 35% or 36% of the popular vote, as Labour did in 2005 and the Conservatives in 2015. In the 1950s and 1960s, winning parties averaged about 47%.
7
Q

Majority

A
  • To be elected candidates need an absolute majority of the votes.

=> Problem: What happens if no candidate obtains an absolute majority in the first round?

=> Answer:

  1. Two Round Runoff (see France)
  2. Instant Runoff/Alternative Vote/Preferential Voting (see Australia).
8
Q

Two round runoff

A

Premise: Nobody obtains the absolute majority of the votes in the first round.

=>

  1. All candidates who obtain a percentage of votes over the threshold (12.5% in France for legislative election) will go to a runoff election (or second ballot).
  2. Another possibility is just for the two most voted candidates to go to a runoff election (see France for presidential election).
9
Q

Instant runoff

A
  1. Electors must express preferences for all the candidates.
  2. A candidate wins the seat if obtains an absolute majority after the first preferences of all the candidates have been counted for the first time.
  3. It’s not a two round system, but one round system.
  4. If nobody obtains the absolute majority of the votes in the first round then the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated.
  5. Ballots assigned to the eliminated candidate are recounted and assigned to those of the remaining candidates who rank next in order of preference on each ballot.
  6. This process continues until one candidate wins by obtaining more than half the votes.
10
Q

Proportional Rep.

A
  • The number of seats assigned to each list is proportional to the votes obtained.
  • Usually these systems are connected to multi-seat constituencies.
  • PR methods:
    • methods based on dividers;
    • methods based on quota.
11
Q

2 main methods based on dividers

A
  • D’Hondt method
  • Sainte-Laguë method
12
Q

D’Hondt method

A
  • also known as Jefferson method
  • highest average methods

After all the votes have been tallied, successive quotients are calculated for each party. The formula for the quotient is

quot = V/(s+1)

where

  • V is the total number of votes that party received
  • s is the number of seats that party has been allocated so far, initially 0 for all parties.
13
Q

Sainte-Laguë method

A

After all the votes have been tallied, successive quotients are calculated for each party. The formula for the quotient is

quot = V/(2s+1)

where:

  1. V is the total number of votes that party received, and
  2. s is the number of seats that have been allocated so far to that party, initially 0 for all parties.
  • Whichever party has the highest quotient gets the next seat allocated, and their quotient is recalculated. The process is repeated until all seats have been allocated.
  • does not ensure that a party receiving more than half the votes will win at least half the seats
14
Q

Methods based on quota

A

the largest remainder method:

  1. Hare Quota;
  2. Dropp Quota;
  3. Hagenbach-Bischoff Quota;
  4. Imperiali Quota.
15
Q

Overview of the largest remainder method

A
  • It requires the numbers of votes for each party to be divided by a quota representing the number of votes required for a seat.
  • The result for each party will usually consist of an integer part plus a fractional remainder.
  • Each party is first allocated a number of seats equal to their integer.
  • This will generally leave some seats unallocated: the parties are then ranked on the basis of the fractional remainders, and the parties with the largest remainders are each allocated one additional seat until all the seats have been allocated.
16
Q

Hare quota

A

total votes/total seats

17
Q

Dropp quota

A

1+(total votes/total seats)

18
Q

Hagenbach-Bischoff Quota

A

total votes/(1 + total seats)

19
Q

Imperiali Quota

A

total votes/(2 + total seats)

20
Q

Overview of Italian Electoral System

A
  • not provided for by the Constitution, but is governed by ordinary laws.
  • As for the system actually adopted, from 1948 to 1993, it was markedly proportional.
  •  The most significant attempt to introduce majoritarian reforms was in 1993.
21
Q

Majoritarian reform in 1993

A
  • A clear-cut reform of the electoral system was made in 1993, following a direct popular referendum to repeal the norms of the Unified Electoral Law that provided for proportional election of Senators.
  • The result was the adoption of a new electoral system which was substantially cast as a majority system, under which 75% of total seats were to be assigned.
  • The remaining 25% were instead to be assigned using PR - proportion representation
22
Q

2005 reform

A
  • this time towards PR.
  • The new law (nicknamed Porcellum) provides for a proportional system based on block lists, to be compiled by the leaders of the various parties.
  • There are majoritarian correctives as well, specifically, a premium of extra seats for the coalition that obtains the greatest number of votes.
  • The Constitutional Court in 2014 struck down the premium.
23
Q

Italicum: 2015 new electoral law

A
  • only for the lower house
  • The new law provides for:
    • a two-round system based on party-list proportional representation,
    • a majority bonus
    • a 3% election threshold.
  • Candidates run for election in 100 multi- member constituencies (+1 for Italians abroad) with open lists, except for a single candidate chosen by each party who is the first to be elected.
24
Q

2 main problems with Italicum

A
  1. the constitutional reform was rejected on the 4th December. Therefore, we still have an elective Senate;
  2. The Constitutional Court struck down the second round provided for in the Italicum.

=> electoral laws have to:

  1. the modified Italicum for the Lower House
  2. the Consultellum for the Senate.
25
Q

Modified Italicum

A

The modified Italicum, a PR system with a majority premium.

  • What changes:
    • No more second round.
  • What is maintained:
    • The premium of extra seats;
    • The thresholds;
    • Open lists, except the head of the list
    • 100 constituencies;
    • Preferences;
    • Gender quota;
    • How seats are allocated.
26
Q

The Consultellum

A
  • PR system;
  • No premium of extra seats;
  • One preference;
  •  Open lists;
  •  Thresholds:
    •  8% for the lists (3% in the list in within a coalition)
    •  20% for coalition
  •  20 constituencies (+1 for Italians abroad).
27
Q

Rosatellum

A
  • The thresholds:
    • 3% on a national basis for the parties
    • 10% on a national basis for coalitions
  • In each PR constituency no more than 6-7 seats (small)
  • In PR constituencies blocked lists Single ballot paper, thus no split vote Gender balance(60% max)