Unit 4: Electoral Systems and Political Party Dynamics

Electoral Systems

Rules that decide how votes are cast, counted, and translated into seats and positions.

Single Member District Plurality (SMD)

Electoral system in which candidates run for a single seat from a specific geographic district. The winner is the person who receives the most votes, whether or not that is a majority.

Proportional Representation (PR)

An electoral system in which voters select parties rather than individual candidates and parties are represented in legislatures in proportion to the shares of votes they win.

China - National People's Congress

Indirect elections (local/regional).

Iran - Majles

SMD & MMD with run-offs; 290 seats, 5 reserved for non-Muslim minorities (Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians).

Mexico - Senate & Chamber of Deputies

Mixed electoral system (SMDP & PR).

Nigeria - Senate & House of Reps

SMDP in both.

Russia - Duma & Federation Council

Mixed electoral system with various configurations: Plurality SMD (1990-93), Mixed SMD & PR (1993-2007), PR only (2007-2016), Mixed SMD & PR (2016-present).

UK - Parliament/House of Commons

SMDP/FPTP/winner-take-all.

China - CCP General Secretary

Voted by members of Central Committee.

Iran - President

Absolute majority by popular vote; runoff vote if needed.

Mexico - President

Plurality by popular vote; NOT absolute majority.

Nigeria - President

Plurality by popular vote; runoff vote if needed; winner must also win 25% of votes in ⅔ of the states (24 states) - 'Federal Character Principle'.

Russia - President

Absolute majority by popular vote; runoff vote if needed.

UK - Prime Minister

SMDP/FPTP/winner-take-all.

Mixed-Member PR System

A system that combines proportional representation with single-member districts.

Unique rule in Mexican Legislature

Gender quota (50%) to ensure gender parity.

5% Threshold in Russia's Legislature

A unique feature of the mixed system that requires parties to receive at least 5% of the votes to gain representation.

Pros of SMD

Easy to follow two parties; simple to understand; doesn't cost much to administer.

Cons of SMD

Silences minority voters; creates large catch-all parties.

Benefits of PR

Gives voice to minority voters; wider representation of political views.

Challenges of Democratization in Russia

Small regional parties can't get enough support to get plurality of votes; SMDP favors big parties; high threshold for smaller parties.

Electoral Systems

The rules that decide how votes are cast, counted, and translated into positions in the executive and legislative branches of government.

Single-Member Districts

Creates a Two-Party System - a party system with two dominant parties that compete in national elections.

Proportional & Mixed Systems (SMD & PR)

Creates a Multi-Party System - a party system with 2+ dominant parties that compete in national elections.

Two-party system

A party system with two dominant parties that compete in national elections. Other parties exist but are minor parties that have no reasonable chance to win national elections.

Multi-party system

A party system with more than two dominant parties that compete in national elections in which more than 2 parties have a reasonable expectation of winning a national election.

One-party system

Only one party exists or is allowed to exist.

One-party dominant system

Even though more than one party exists, only one party consistently wins for a long period of time.

Social movements

Large groups of people pushing collectively for significant political or social change.

Interest groups

Explicitly organized to represent and advocate for a specific interest or policy issue.

Gerrymandering

The way the districts are drawn can make a huge difference in who wins.

Political efficacy

The ability of individuals to influence political events.

Voter turnout

The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election.

Minor parties

Political parties that have no reasonable chance to win national elections.

Extremists in government

Can allow individuals with extreme views to gain positions in government.

Boundary delimitation

The process of setting the boundaries of electoral districts.

Threshold

A minimum level of support a party must achieve to gain representation.

Accountability of elected candidates

The responsibility of elected officials to represent the interests of their constituents.

Political parties

Organizations that seek to gain power by winning elections.

Core-supporters

The primary base of supporters for a political party.

Disproportionate importance

When smaller parties have an outsized influence on political outcomes.

Complicated electoral systems

Systems that can be more confusing for voters to understand.

2009 Green Movement

Reform-minded people who called out the rigged re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

2019 Protests in Iran

Protests over gas-price hikes & rations by ordinary people, mostly middle and working class

Guardian Council's Recount

Allowed for a recount of 10% of the votes but reported no irregularities in the vote and dismissed all election complaints

Iran's Internet Shutdown

Near total shutdown of the internet to halt info sharing; Amnesty reported over 100 people killed

2013 Anti-Gay Law Protests in Russia

Citizens protested against the anti-gay law passed by Duma with a 460-0 vote

2011 Election Protests in Russia

Protests pushing for radical change and demanding that the government does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation

Kremlin's Response to Protests

Brute-force response by the Kremlin, including beating and imprisoning protestors

2014 Umbrella Movement

Pro-democracy leaders in Hong Kong, including young professionals and students, rejected CCP-vetted list of candidates for elections

National Security Law in Hong Kong

Limits civil liberties in Hong Kong and was passed without revealing the full text until after its enactment

1994 Zapatista Uprising in Mexico

Indigenous people in Chiapas decried terms of NAFTA due to its negative impact on poor, rural people

Zapatista Demands

Demanded work, land, housing, food, healthcare, education, independence, freedom, democracy, justice, and peace

Peace Agreement in Mexico

Signed in 1996 after a 2-week 'war' between Zapatistas and the Mexican government

Indigenous Rights Bill in Mexico

Passed in 2001 to provide indigenous people more autonomy over land use and natural resources

Anti-Brexit Movement in the UK

Citizens opposed Brexit, fearing for the UK's economy, with 48% voting to remain in the EU

Boko Haram

Group wanting to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria

Niger Delta Groups

MEND and MOSOP advocating for rights of ethnic minorities and protesting against unjust oil extraction methods

MEND's Goals

Wants more equitable representation for oil wealth and uses violence to attack government policies

MOSOP's Approach

Focuses on social and environmental justice in the Niger Delta and fights against Shell Oil through non-violent grassroots efforts

Government's Response to Boko Haram

Abysmal response including kidnappings, rape, bombings, and assassinations

Mexico's Transition from Corporatism to Pluralism

Transition from PRI's state corporatism to a more democratic system with independent interests having input

PRI's Control

PRI won all presidential elections between 1929 and 1999, maintaining control through state corporatism

PAN's Victory in 2000

PAN won the presidency and majorities in the legislature, challenging PRI's power

Fragile Democracy in Mexico

Democratic structure is in place but may not function democratically or limit civil society and civil liberties