Electoral Systems

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Last updated 5:51 AM on 4/16/26
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10 Terms

1
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What is an electoral system?

method through which individual votes are translated into a collective outcome.

<p>method through which individual votes are translated into a collective outcome.</p>
2
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What are the 4 set of distinct rules in an electoral system?

  1. districts (how many + allocation)

  2. # of reps (how many per district? what about total?)

  3. ballot procedure (one choice? ranking)

  4. winning criteria (plurality or majority?)

3
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What is each rule for the Single Member Plurality (geographically-based) system?

  1. districts → 343 allocated by province, by population

  2. representatives → 343 single per district

  3. ballot → one choice

  4. winning criteria → plurality (candidate with most votes in a district wins)

4
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What is the SMP System?

Also known as First-Past-The-Post where the candidate with the most votes wins in single-member district, winners add up to form Parliament (House of Commons)

5
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What is the Proportional Representation System?

A voting system where parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes they receive in an election, aiming for a more representative outcome in legislative bodies, electoral rules can vary widely.

6
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What are the effects of SMP?

  • efficiency → most efficient distribution of votes with more seats than its vote share warrants.

  • regionalisation → encourages regionalism by rewarding regionally concentrated parties, distorting regional strengths and weaknesses of national parties

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What are the positives of the SMP?

  • simple in input and output

  • produces stable, decisive, accountable governments

  • minimises power of small and ‘fringe’ parties

8
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What are the positives of PR?

  • translates voter preferences into representation without distortion

  • few or no wasted votes, more perspectives represented

  • can produce more consensus-based politics

9
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What are the negatives of SMP?

  • distorts voter preferences at the aggregate level

  • many ‘wasted’ votes, narrows perspectives represented

  • concentrates power in one party and produces adversarial politics

10
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What are the negatives of PR?

  • complex, especially in output

  • more unstable governments based on ‘elite’ bargaining

  • empowers small and fringe parties