In Depth: Electoral Systems

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In DepthElectoral Systems

• Jared Wesley
• Guest Lecturer

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Objectives

• How do electoral systems work?
• values mechanics
• What are the effects of electoral systems?
• consequences for democracy
• What are the politics of electoral reform?
• challenges opportunities

Lecture Notes home.cc.umanitoba.ca/wesley/teachi
ng
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Electoral System Families

• Four (4) electoral system families
• Plurality systems
• Majoritarian systems
• Proportional systems
• Mixed systems
• Other electoral regulations
• compulsory voting, campaign finance,
• fixed election dates

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Elements of Electoral Systems

• Elements of any electoral system
• electoral formula
• votes into seats
• threshold
• ballot structure
• ordinal/categorical
• single or multiple
• district size
• members per district

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Values and Concerns

• Law Commission of Canada (2004)
• Representation
• Responsible Government
• Valuing Votes

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Values and Concerns

• International I.D.E.A.
• geographic / territorial representation
• fairness (proportionality)
• demographic representation
• accessibility (ease of use)
• meaningfulness (votes influence outcome)
• effective legislature (pass laws)
• equality of voters (one-person-one-vote)_
• accountability (of representatives)
• consensus-building (reward broad appeal)
• stable government (mandate fulfillment)
• effective opposition (scrutiny)
• administration (expense management)
• ease of transition (familiarity)

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Plurality Systems

• Single-member plurality (SMP)
• Block vote (BV)
• Single-nontransferable vote (SNTV)
• Two-round plurality (TRp)

• Advantages
• comprehensibility
• decisiveness
• accountability
• responsiveness

• Drawbacks
• disproportionality
• territory-based
• inclusiveness
• orphan voters

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Majority Systems

• Two-round majority (TRm)
• Alternative vote (AV)

• Advantages
• comprehensibility
• decisiveness
• accountability
• moderation

• Drawbacks
• disproportionality
• territory-based (large)
• inclusiveness
• Condorcet losers

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Proportional Representation (PR)

• List
• Single-transferable vote (STV)

• Advantages
• representativeness
• proportionality
• interparty cooperation
• voter efficacy

• Drawbacks
• party-based
• accountability?
• collusion
• deadlock

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Mixed Systems

• Parallel Mixed
• Mixed-member-proportional (MMP)

• Advantages
• proportionality
• representativeness

• Drawbacks
• two-tier representatives
• party-controlled

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The Politics of Electoral Reform

• British Columbia
• AV
• 1951-1953
• CCF threat
• STV
• wrong loser (1996)
• Citizens Assembly
• Referendum 2005
• 57.4 yes
• Referendum 2009
• www.stv.ca

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The Politics of Electoral Reform

• Alberta
• AV (rural)
• STV (cities)
• 1924-1955
• populism
• opposition threat
• One Party Dominance, low turnout

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The Politics of Electoral Reform

• Saskatchewan
• BV (cities)
• 1921-1964
• populism
• opposition threat
• Polarized party system, high turnout

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The Politics of Electoral Reform

• Manitoba
• AV (rural)
• STV (cities)
• 1920-1955
• populism
• opposition threat
• Moderate party system, average turnout

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The Politics of Electoral Reform

• Ontario
• MMP
• manuf. majorities
• Citizens Assembly
• Referendum 2007
• 63.1 keep FPTP

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The Politics of Electoral Reform

• Quebec
• MMP
• wrong loser (1998)
• Committees and Commission
• no vote in QNA (as of October 2008)
• FPTP in court (December 2008)

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The Politics of Electoral Reform

• New Brunswick
• MMP
• lopsided loser
• Commission (referendum promised)
• PCs lost in 2006

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The Politics of Electoral Reform

• Prince Edward Island
• pop. 139,407 (2008 est.)
• Dual-SMP System
• 1893-1996
• 1 Councillor
• 1 Assemblyman
• Catholic/Protestant
• MMP
• lopsided loser
• Committees and Commission
• Plebiscite 2005
• 63.6 keep FPTP
• 33.0 turnout

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The Politics of Electoral Reform
Northwest Territories Nunavut consensus
politics
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Objectives

• How do electoral systems work?
• values mechanics
• What are the effects of electoral systems?
• consequences for democracy
• What are the politics of electoral reform?
• challenges opportunities

Lecture Notes home.cc.umanitoba.ca/wesley/teachi
ng