Detailed Notes on Electoral Systems and Political Representation

The Electoral System

Plurality, Proportional & Majority Systems

Theories of Political Representation

  1. Trusteeship:
    Representatives act as ‘trustees’ who use their judgment to represent constituents, focusing on what they believe to be the public good and the national interest.

  2. Delegate:
    Elected representatives act as delegates for their constituents, emphasizing the representation of constituents' interests and preferences.

  3. Mirror:
    An elected assembly should reflect the demographics of the body politic it represents, ensuring representation in proportion to social groups present in society. Representatives should connect with constituents through shared attributes such as gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation.

Voting System: More Than Tallying Votes
  • The electoral system influences voter choices and behaviors of parties and politicians.
  • It shapes parliamentary proceedings and party culture, which subsequently impact government operations and policies.

First-Past-The-Post (FPTP)

  • Definition: A system based on territorial representation with single-member districts. Each district elects one representative, where voters cast a single ballot for a candidate.
  • Simple Plurality: The candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of whether they obtained a majority.
  • Winner-Take-All: The candidate winning a plurality is the only one recognized as the representative, leading to potential discrepancies between actual votes received and seats held.
  • Current Context: There are 338 federal electoral districts in Canada, with 11 in Nova Scotia.
Benefits of FPTP
  1. Simplicity, Speed, and Clarity: The system is easy for voters to understand, facilitating quick counting and clear results.
  2. Stability: Often produces majority governments that can govern effectively for their full mandate period (4-5 years).
  3. Decisive Government: Majority governments can make decisions without needing to compromise with other parties.
  4. Accountability: Voters have a direct connection to their representatives, allowing them to attribute successes or failures to specific MPs and the government overall.
Disadvantages of FPTP
  1. Distortion Effect: There can be a significant gap between the number of seats won and the total votes received, making opposition parties weak or ineffective.
  2. Regional Amplification Effect: This system can amplify regional support for parties, leading to a disparity that harms nationwide cohesiveness.
  3. Wasted Vote Effect: Votes cast for losing candidates do not contribute to representation, causing many voter preferences to go unrepresented.

Proposals for Reform

  • Reformation calls since 1979, with numerous studies and referenda.
  • Suggested hybrid systems combining FPTP with Proportional Representation (PR).
    • Proportional Systems (PR): Seat allocations would reflect the proportion of votes received, minimizing wasted votes and ensuring representation of all parties.
    • Majority Systems: Ensuring candidates reflect a majority preference through methods like the Alternative Vote (rank ordered preferential ballot) or a two-ballot system.
Other Arguments for Proportional Representation
  • Promotes diversity of representation and a broader range of opinions.
  • Ensures all voters are represented fairly, increasing voter turnout and encouraging party collaboration.
  • Coalition governments can lead to more inclusive governance compared to single-party rule, which may resemble benign dictatorships.

Mixed Member Proportional (MMP)

  • A hybrid model combining elements of FPTP and PR.
  • Types of MPs: Constituency-based MPs and regional MPs, with voters casting two votes: one for a candidate and one for a party.
  • Any underrepresented parties are compensated with additional regional seats, ensuring overall proportionality based on the percentage of votes received.
  • Aims to improve representation for various groups, making it easier to address deficits in representation (e.g., women, minorities).
Alternative Vote (Preferential Ballot)
  • Maintains single-member constituencies where voters rank candidates in order of preference.
  • If no candidate secures 50% of the vote, the lowest candidate is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on the next preferences until one candidate achieves a majority.
  • However, it does not address distortion effects or regional amplification problems.
  • In Canada, it tends to favor centrist parties like the Liberals due to their consistent second-choice popularity among other voters.