Electoral Systems

Women and Elections

The National Democratic Institute

• • • INTRODUCTIONS/ GROUND RULES Introductions Ground rules Ice breaker exercise Photo: NDI

ELECTORAL SYSTEMS OBJECTIVES • • To understand the different types of electoral systems To increase awareness of the potential advantages and disadvantages to these systems from a gender perspective

ELECTORAL SYSTEMS TOPICS

• Electoral Systems: o Proportional Representation o o Majoritarian Mixed Photo: Kathy Gest

• • • • •

KEY TERMS

Electoral System Proportional Representation Majoritarian System Open/Closed Party List Gender Quota Photo: NDI

What Do They Do?

At the most basic level, electoral systems translate the votes cast in a general election into seats won by parties and candidates.

~ IDEA Electoral System Design Handbook

TYPES OF ELECTORAL SYSTEMS

Plurality/ Majority FPTP TRS AV BV PBV Proportional List PR STV Mixed Parallel MMP Other SNTV LV BC

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION Advantages Disadvantages • Proportionality • Encourage formation of parties • Small parties have disproportionate power • Facilitate diverse representation • Coalition governments, which can be unstable • Accountability • Candidates need to get votes from all over, not just from a particular region

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

List PR

• • • • • • Multi-member districts Parties create candidate lists Voters select a party Parties are allocated seats based on percentage of vote received “Open” or “closed” lists Thresholds very important

Photo: ACE Project BALLOT EXAMPLE

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

List PR

Advantages Criticisms • Reflects proportionality • Need more developed parties • Allows smaller parties to compete • Minority and women’s quotas are easier to implement • Requires greater coordination by parties, concentrates power in hands of central party organization • Encourages developed parties • Weakens link between parties and constituents

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION Single Transferable Vote (STV) • Multi-member districts • Results through series of vote counts • If no one gets quota, candidate with lowest total votes is eliminated and votes redistributed • Continues until all seats are filled

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION Single Transferable Vote (STV) Advantages Criticisms • Voters choose individuals and parties • Complex/requires higher literacy • Fairly proportional results • Strengthens party constituent connection • Party members compete against each other • Party with a plurality of votes can end up getting fewer seats

MAJORITARIAN

• • Also known as “plurality system” Whoever wins the most votes, wins the election.

Photo: Marie-Eve_NDI-Pakistan

MAJORITARIAN TYPES

• • • • • First Past the Post Two-Round System Block Vote Party Block Vote Alternate Vote

MAJORITARIAN First Past the Post (FPTP)

• Citizens divided into districts cast a single vote for their candidate • Whoever gets the most votes, wins • More typical of countries where a single individual represents a geographic area

MAJORITARIAN First Past the Post

Advantages Criticisms • Simple • Excludes smaller parties • Clear choices between candidates • Can lead to exclusion of ethnic minorities • Encourages links between constituents and MPs • Dependent on electoral boundaries (gerrymandering) • Can foster more broad-based politics where there is not a majority ethnic group

MAJORITARIAN Two-Round System

• • • Similar to FPTP; Candidates require absolute majority First round of FPTP voting. If someone gets a majority, s/he wins If not, some candidates may be eliminated and a second vote takes place

MAJORITARIAN Two-Round System

Advantages Criticisms • Gives voters a second chance • Encourages bargains and tradeoffs • Minimizes vote-splitting • Expensive • Similar disadvantages to FPTP • Can trigger conflict

MAJORITARIAN Block Vote

• Multi-member districts • Voters get as many votes as there are candidates—can use all, some or none • “X” number of candidates with highest vote totals elected

MAJORITARIAN Block Vote

Advantages Criticisms • Voters can pick individuals • Parties can have a more active role than in FPTP • Rewards organized parties • Can exaggerate FPTP problems • Can fragment parties • Candidate selection must produce a strategic number of candidates with broad appeal

MAJORITARIAN Party Block Vote

• Multi-member districts • Parties build lists of candidates • Voters choose party list not an individual • Party list gets elected

MAJORITARIAN Party Block Vote

Advantages Criticisms • Simple • Encourages strong parties • Suffers from problems of FPTP, particularly disproportionality • Can facilitate minority representation

MAJORITARIAN Alternative Vote

• • • • Single-member districts Voters rank candidate preferences If candidate secures an absolute majority of first choice votes, s/he is elected If not, candidate with the lowest votes is eliminated, and votes reallocated

MAJORITARIAN

Alternative Vote

Advantages • Candidates must seek “first” and “second” votes of voters • Can encourage compromise • Avoids “tactical voting” in FPTP Criticisms • Complex/ requires higher level of literacy • Centrist outcomes depend more on political context than electoral system • Doesn’t work well with larger, multi-member districts

BALLOT EXAMPLE Photo: ACE Project, International IDEA Handbook (2005)

ELECTORAL SYSTEM DIMENSIONS

• • • • • District Size District Magnitude Threshold Party vs. Candidate Quotas Photo: Kathy Gest

DISTRICT SIZE AND MAGNITUDE

• • Single or multiple districts?

Number of representatives elected per district (district magnitude) Photo: Megan Doherty, NDI

PARTY LISTS AND THRESHOLD

• • Open vs. Closed Lists Higher thresholds tend to result in more women elected

OTHER ELECTORAL SYSTEM DIMENSIONS

• • Party vs. Candidate Quotas Photo: lrobinsonNDI

EXERCISE In small groups, discuss the pros and cons of your current electoral system.

ELECTORAL SYSTEMS REVIEW

• • Electoral Systems: o o o Proportional Representation Majoritarian Mixed Electoral System Dimensions   Questions?

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