7. How do elections play favorites ? Flashcards
A necessary condition for liberal democracies is
Free and fair elections
“Disproportionality”
Condition of favoritism in the elections
The 5 systemic preconditions necessary to democratic elections ?
- Universal adult suffrage
- Secret ballot (Australia : electronic)
- Impartial vote counting (pb in new democracies)
- Freedom to contest elections
- Absence of gerrymandering, i.e. drawing of electoral district lines to favor one party
4 characteristics for analyzing voting system ?
- District magnitude
- Ballot structure
- Total size of the legislature
- Electoral formula
District magnitude ?
The number of seats to be filled in each electoral districts
2 extremes of district magnitude ?
- Representatives elected “at large” (Israel, Netherland, Serbia, Slovakia, Ukraine), from the entire country
- Countries divided in districts based on population ; US : districts redrawn after each census
Ballot structure ?
Only one candidate or order of preference ? Crossing party lines ?
Small legislatures provide less opportunity for…
Proportionality, whereas larger legislatures are more proportional and accurate in terms of representation
Larger legislatures tend to be inefficient unless..
They have a well-organized structure
Good and bad point in having lots and small districts
- : Closer contact with the legislator
* - = Legislator has less influence
Electoral formula ?
Precise calculation by which seats are allocated.
Can several countries have the same electoral formula ?
No
2 types of electoral systems :
- Plurality-majority system (majoritarian system)
* Proportional representation systems (List PR and Single transferable vote systems)
3 types of plurality-majority systems
- Single-member, simple plurality (SMSP)
- Second-ballt (SB) system
- Alternative vote (AV)
Single-member, simple plurality system
Tends to give the majority of seats to one party. District magnitude 1. UK gov. Stability, opposition weaker.
Index of disproportionality ?
Measure of the difference between vote share/seat share. From 0 to 100. Last elections UK : 20. Most countries : 15.
The SMSP system explains..
A two party system (small party unlikely to get seats)
Third party candidate in the US ?
Ross Porrow who financed his campaign in the 90s but also Bernie Sanders before becoming a democrat in 2007 (but phenomenon very rare)
Second-ballot system used in…
France for both national assembly and the presidential
SP system ?
To pass the 1st round, you need 25%. If nobody has btw 25 and 50%, all parties who don’t get 12,5 are eliminated.
Often = 2 parties in the 2nd ballot, yet in the last elections in France = triangular.
Advantage and bad point of the SP system ?
Simplicity but voter fatigue
What happens in 2012 in France ?
French National Assembly elections ; socialists advantaged by disproportionality (29% of the votes and 48% of the seats), UMP disadvantaged, EELV same.
Where is Alternative Vote implemented ?
Australia only
What is AV ?
Votes express preferences : if no candidate get the absolute majority on the first count, the first preferences are counted, the last preference drops out and gives his vote to the second choice = repeat that until someone gets a majority.
In PR systems, magnitude usually between
3 and 5
General effect of PR systems
Reinforcement of parties more than candidates
List PR system ?
Conservative oriented : Belgium, Chile, Costa rica, Danemark, Greece, SA, Spain, Norway
Single Transferable vote ?
Rank order of preference , used in Ireland
Combinaison of List PR and Single Transferable systems ?
Mixed member PR system. Adopted in Germany. The most proportional system. Bolivia. NZ.
System that plays the most favorite ?
SMSP system (the least : MMP)
Maurice Duverger ?
Classic law : electoral system influences the number of political parties and the nature. SMSP => 2 party system
