Chapter 4 Terms Flashcards
What are the two of the most fundamental principles of a democracy?
- The right to vote
2. The value of that vote
In the United States, what is the number of representatives for a state based upon?
- The population of that state
In the United States, representatives are re-allocated every ___ years.
- 10
What was the first presidential veto in the US?
Who did it?
In what year?
- Allocation
- George Washington
- 1792
In what year did Hamilton and Jefferson propose their apportionment plans?
- 1790
Standard Divisor
- The total population/the no. of representatives
Standard Quota
- Only used in the Hamilton Plan
- Dividing the population of each state by the divisor and rounding the number that you get down to the nearest whole number
Apportionment
- The method of dividing a whole into various parts
Steps of the Hamilton Plan
Step 1. Determine the standard divisor
Step 2. Divide the population of each state by the standard divisor and round down to the nearest whole number
Step 3. Check to see if the total quota is equal to the number of representatives
Step 4. Add additional representatives one at a time to states with “largest decimal” remainders until all representatives are assigned.
The Difference in the Jefferson Plan
- A modified standard divisor that…
- Will equal the desired number of representatives without having to add or subtract any from the numbers you receive.
The Alabama Paradox
- When increasing the number of members, a state may lose a seat
Quota Rule
- The number of members apportioned to a state is the standard quota or one more than the standard quota
- The Jefferson Rule can violate this
Average Constituency
- State population/no. of representatives from that state
Absolute Unfairness
- “a” gets rep - “b” stays same = absolute unfairness of “a”
- Same for “b”
Relative Unfairness
- Absolute unfairness/ new average constituency of state receiving new rep
What is one of the most revered privileges for those who live in a democracy?
- The right to vote
Majority Vote
- More than 50% of the people voting must vote for it
Plurality Vote
- The person or issue with the most votes wins
- Determined by the number or first place votes
Preference Schedule
- A table that lists the number of people who give a particular ranking
What is the problem with plurality?
- Alternative choices are not considered
Borda Count Method of Voting
- If there are “n” number of candidates, each voter ranks the candidates from least to favorite.
- Scoring
- First Place = “n” points
- Second Place = “n” - 1 points
- Last Place = 1 point
Plurality with Elimination Method of Voting
- Rank all options
- Remove candidate with least no. of first place votes
- Adjust remaining ranking preferences
- Repeat
Is any voting system for three or more candidates fair?
- NO
How many different types of “fairness” measures are there?
- Four
