Session 8

Question 1

First-order elections

Answer 1

elections which stakes are highest, usually a possibility of a change of government

Question 2

Second-order elections

Answer 2

elections in which stakes are lower (f.e. local/mid-term elections)

Question 3

Electoral system

Answer 3

rules governing an election, includes the structure of the ballot (f.e. how many candidates are listed per party), and the electoral formula (how votes converted to seats), and districting (division of territory into seperate constituencies)

Question 4

electoral formula

Answer 4

how votes are converted to seats

Question 5

the 4 legislative electoral systems

Answer 5

1. plurality system 2. majority systems 3. proportional representation 4. mixed systems

Question 6

Plurality system (3 synonyms, how it works, advantages, disadvantages)

Answer 6

one of 4 electoral systems.
= Single-member plurality (SMP) = first-past-the-post (FPTP) = winner-takes-all.
each district has candidates contesting, person with most votes wins (=plurality).
advantage: simplicity and produces single district representitive
disadvantage: risk of unbalanced results

•Single-member district plurality system
•

Question 7

Majority systems (2 types and how they work)

Answer 7

one of 4 electoral systems.
1. two-round system (a.k.a. runoff election): candidates in district run against each other, if majority (50%+) for candidate, he/she wins. If not, top two candidates from round 1 compete in round 2 -> person with majority wins
often used in executive system
2. alternative vote (AV)
complex: all candidates ranked by voters, if one wins majority of 1st preference votes, he/she wins. If not, last-placed is eliminated and their votes reassigned. redone until one candidate has majority.

Question 8

proportional representation (PR) (2 types, how they work)

Answer 8

one of 4 electoral systems

1. list system: multiple members will represent the constituency (body of voters in area x), each party has list of names of candidates, voters choose among parties, choosing how many candidates elected, party determines who is elected (usually order of list). Closed/open list
2. single transferable vote (STV): voters rank candidates, winners are determined by a quota based on a formula and series of counts

Question 9

mixed systems (2 types)

Answer 9

one of 4 electoral systems

1. parallel voting/mixed member majoritarian (MMM): voters choose among candidates to represent local district, and among party lists to represent larger regions (mix of Proportional Representation and plurality)
2. Mixed member proportional (MMP) a.ka. compensatory PR is proportional. mix of SMP (single-member plurality) and PR. PR list votes ‘top up’ seats.

Question 10

proportional representation

Answer 10

electoral system in which number of seats won by competing parties is proportional to number of votes they won

Question 11

mandate

Answer 11

commission to act on another’s behalf in a specific area. election mandate = authorization from people for the gov to follow a particular course

Question 12

distribution requirements

Answer 12

rules specifying how a winning candidate’s votes must be arranged across different regions/social groups

Question 13

referendum

Answer 13

vote of the lectorate on a limited issue of public policy (f.e. constitutional amendment)

Question 14

gerrymandering

Answer 14

deliberate redrawing of electoral districts to favour one political party over another (mostly associated with US)

Question 15

initiative

Answer 15

procedure allowing citizens to initiate a referendum or to place something on legislature’s agenda = agenda initiative/referendum initiative

Question 16

recall

Answer 16

popular vote on whether elected official should be removed from office during normal tenure

Question 17

ballot stuffing

Answer 17

form of electoral fraud in which a person who should have one vote casts multiple ones in single booth/multiple locations