In-Depth Notes on Electoral Systems

Overview of Electoral Systems

  • Definition of Electoral System:

    • Rules for collecting, tallying, and interpreting voter choices.

    • Can vary substantially across regions and levels (local, national, super-national).

  • Designing e-voting systems can be complex due to voting method intricacies.

Categories of Electoral Systems

  • Single vs. Multiple Winners:

    • Systems either elect a single candidate or multiple candidates.

  • Proportional vs. Majoritarian:

    • Proportional systems reflect vote share in elected seats.

    • Majoritarian systems often use “winner takes all” approach.

Electing a Single Winner

  • First-Past-The-Post (FPTP):

    • Most common system; winner is candidate with the most votes.

    • Used in USA, UK, Canada, India.

  • Approval Voting:

    • Voters can approve multiple candidates; highest total wins.

  • Two-Round System (TRS):

    • If no absolute majority, a second round occurs with the two top candidates.

  • Contingent Vote:

    • Voters rank candidates; if no clear majority, only top candidates proceed to next round.

  • Exhaustive Ballot:

    • Candidates are eliminated until one achieves a majority.

  • Instant Run-Off Voting (IRV):

    • Voters rank candidates; lowest candidates eliminated until a majority is reached.

Example of IRV (Table 1)

  • Showcases progressive rounds of voting.

Electing Multiple Winners

  • Block Vote (BV):

    • Voters can vote for multiple candidates; top candidates win.

  • Single Non-Transferable Vote (SNTV):

    • Voters vote for one candidate in multi-member districts.

  • Party-List Proportional Representation (PR):

    • Seats allocated based on party votes; can be open or closed list.

Highest Average and Largest Remainder Methods

  • Highest-Average (d’Hondt Method): Used widely for seat allocation in proportional systems.

  • Largest Remainder Methods: Used to allocate remaining seats after initial quotas.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Electoral Systems

  • Majoritarian Systems:

    • Strengths: Clear accountability, simple to understand.

    • Weaknesses: Can disenfranchise smaller parties, risk of wasted votes.

  • Proportional Systems:

    • Strengths: Greater representation of diverse views.

    • Weaknesses: Possible delays in coalition formation, weaker constituency ties.

  • Mixed Systems:

    • Combine elements of both; can balance representation and accountability.

Theoretical Perspectives on Voting Systems

  • Arrow's Impossibility Theorem: No voting system can satisfy all desired fairness criteria simultaneously.

  • Gibbard-Satterthwaite Impossibility Theorem: No non-manipulable voting system exists when more than two candidates are present.

Conclusion

  • Choosing an electoral system involves trade-offs between representation, simplicity, and manipulation risk.

  • Ongoing research is vital to improve and design effective electoral systems.