6: Electoral Systems

Question 1

What are the definitions of:

1. Electoral system
2. Electoral law
3. Electoral formula?

Answer 1

1. Electoral system: Formality through which Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected
2. Electoral law: Refers to all legislation concerning elections
3. Electoral formula: Formula used to transform votes to seats. There are two categories: (1) Majority system; (2) Proportional representation

Question 2

What is a majority system, and what are the two main categories that exist within this system?

Answer 2

Majority system: Candidates with the majority of the votes win the election

1. Plurality (First Past the Post)
   - Candidates are elected with a relative majority
   - “Wrong winners” can be chosen: In the UK, you could comfortably win the popular vote but get no seats in the House of Commons by coming second in every constituency. You could also win majority in Parliament with as little as 35% of the popular vote, but still receive less than 10% of the seats in the House of Commons
2. Majority
   - Candidates need an absolute majority of votes
   - If no candidate reaches absolute majority in the first round:
   a) Two Round Runoff: (1) All candidates who obtained a percentage of votes over a threshold go to a runoff election, or (2) The two most voted candidates go to a runoff election
   b) Instant runoff: Electors express their preferences for all the candidates, and a candidate wins if absolute majority is reached. If absolute majority is not reached, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates based on order of preference. This process is repeated until an absolute majority is reached.

Question 3

What is a proportional representation system, and what are the two major methods that this system follows?

Answer 3

Under this system, the number of seats are assigned to each list is proportional to the votes obtained.

Two major methods:

1. Based on dividers
2. Based on quota

Question 4

Proportional Representation:

What are the 2 methods based on dividers?

Answer 4

1. D’Hondt method (Jefferson method)
   - Highest average method
   - After all the votes have been tallied, successive quotients are recalculated for each party
   - quotient = V / (S+1)
2. Sainte-Languë method
   - After all the votes have been tallied, successive quotients are recalculated for each party
   - Whichever party has the highest quota gets the next seat allocated, and then their quotient is recalculated. This repeats until all seats are assigned.
   - quotient = V / (2S+1)

Question 5

Proportional Representation:

What are the methods based on quota?

Answer 5

Largest remainder method: The number of votes for each party is divided by a quota representing the number of votes required for a seat.

• Each party is first allocated a number of seats equal to their integer
• Parties are then ranked based on their remainders and the largest remainders are each allocated one seat until all of the seats have been allocated

Common quotas:

1. Hare Quota: V / S
2. Dropp Quota: 1 + V / (1 + S)
3. Hagenbach-Bischoff Quota: V / (1 + S)
4. Imperiali Quota: V / (2 + S)

Question 6

How is the Italian electoral system set up?

Answer 6

• Italian electoral system of Parliament is not provided for by Constitution, but is governed by ordinary laws

1948: Markedly proportional system (PR)
1993: Referendum repealed the Unified Electoral Law (provided for the proportional election of senators) and replaced it with a new system where 75% of the seats would be assigned by majority system and 25% under PR
2005: Porcellum law provided for proportional system based on blocked lists to be compiled by the leaders of various parties, with majoritarian correctives
2014: Constitutional court deemed Porcellum’s majority premiums to be unconstitutional
2015: Italicum law was passed for lower house, which provided for a two-round system based on party-list proportional representation, a majority bonus and a 3% election threshold

2 problems still persisted:

1. The constitutional reform was rejected and the Senate must still remain elective
2. The constitutional court struck down the second round provided for in the Italicum

Thus, the only electoral laws that remain are:

1. Modified Italicum for lower house: A PR system with a majority premium.
   - What changed: No more second round.
   - What is maintained:
   (1) The premium of extra seats;
   (2) The thresholds;
   (3) Open lists, except the head of the list;
   (4) 100 constituencies;
   (5) Preferences;
   (6) Gender quota;
   (7) How seats are allocated.
2. Consultellum for the Senate: A PR system
   - Provides for:
   (1) No premium of extra seats;
   (2) One preference;
   (3) Open lists;
   (4) Thresholds: 8% for the lists (3% in the list in within a
   coalition) , 20% for coalition
   (5) 20 constituencies (+1 for Italians abroad).

2017: Both systems were replaced by the Rosatellum bis:
1. Maintained thresholds of 3% for parties and 10% for coalitions
2. No more than 6-7 seats per PR constituency
3. PR constituencies run on blocked lists
4. Single ballot
5. Gender balance