ELECTORAL SYSTEM

An electoral system is a set of rules that determine how elections and referendums are conducted and how their
results are determined
The role and functions of an electoral system vary depending on the type of election, the level of government, and
the political context. Some general functions of an electoral system are:

 To translate the votes cast by the citizens into the election outcome, such as the allocation of seats, the
selection of candidates, or the approval of a policy1.
 To ensure that the election process is fair, transparent, and legitimate, and that the voters have equal and
effective participation1.
 To reflect the preferences and interests of the voters, and to provide representation and accountability for
the elected officials1.
 To promote political stability, social cohesion, and democratic development, and to prevent or resolve
conflicts

According to comparative political science scholar Bernard gross man the following components are basic and
essential in an electoral system :
1. Defining the eligibility criteria for contesting the elections for both individuals and political parties
2. To specify the rules within which party purposes the list of candidates as well as identifies the various candidates
for contesting elections
3. Specification of ballot type
4. Specification of constituencies
5. Determining the timing of elections
6. The method of counting of votes
Apart from this, the term electoral system is also used to refer to rules and regulations for the voters, campaigning,
advertising, deciding on phases of elections, and so on

TYPES OF ELECTORAL SYSTEMS

Generally, the electoral system is classified into three main categories based on the rules decided for conversion of
votes into seats in the legislature: first category is the Majoritarian system; second is the Proportional Representative
system and the third is the Mixed system. Majoritarian Method refers to a system where larger parties get to
represent higher number of seats, while the Proportional Representation (PR) systems depicts a system where seats
are decided in proportion to the votes acquired in the election. Mixed systems are the combination of the
majoritarian and PR systems.

1. MAJORITARIAN SYSTEMS

A type of electoral system that aims to produce a single-party majority government by giving more seats to the party
with the most votes, even if it does not have an absolute majority of votes.

Single-member plurality system: The most common majoritarian system, also known as the first-past-the-post
system, where the candidate with the most votes in each single-member constituency wins the seat, regardless
of the percentage of votes they receive.

This system is popular in the UK, USA, Canada, India, and some other countries which have had their political
systems derived from the British colonial past.

 Advantages: It produces clear winners, stable governments, and accountability to local voters. It also gives
voters a wide choice of candidates and parties2.
 Disadvantages: It can result in wasted votes, underrepresentation of smaller parties and minorities, and lack
of legitimacy for governments that win with less than 50% of the votes. It can also encourage strategic voting
and regionalism.
Second-ballot system: A majoritarian system that requires a candidate to win an absolute majority of votes
(more than 50%) to be elected, and if no candidate achieves this in the first round of voting, a second round is
held between the top two candidates.

It has been an accepted electoral system inFrance, Chile, Austria and Russia.

 Advantages: It ensures that the winner has the support of the majority of voters, and it gives voters more
choices and preferences in the first round.
 Disadvantages: It may exclude smaller parties and candidates from the second round, and it may encourage
candidates to compromise their principles for popularity. It also increases the cost and time of elections.

Alternative vote/supplementary vote system: A majoritarian system that allows voters to rank candidates in
order of preference, and transfers the votes of the lowest-ranked candidates to the next preferences until a
candidate wins an absolute majority of votes.

 Voters rank candidates in order of preference and votes are transferred according to the next preferences
until a candidate reaches a quota.
 Difference from AV system: The SV and AV methods are based on the same principles and differ in details. In
SV system, voters only have one supplementary vote, while in AV system they can rank all the candidates 1.
Also, in SV system, only two rounds of voting are held, while in AV system there can be multiple rounds.
 Advantages: Fewer votes are wasted, candidates’ popularity and acceptance are based on preferential
votes, and voters have more choices and options2.
 Disadvantages: Complex and time-consuming process, possible same outcome as SMP system, and lower
placed candidates can win over higher placed candidates.

Condorcet method: A complex majoritarian system that involves pairwise comparisons of candidates based on
voters’ rankings, and declares the winner as the candidate who would defeat every other candidate in a head-to-
head contest.

 Advantages: It may be more accurate and fair than other methods, as it reflects the voters’ preferences
more fully.
 Disadvantages: It is difficult to apply when there are many candidates, as it requires many pairwise
comparisons. It may also result in no clear winner or paradoxical outcomes

CASE STUDY – MAJORITARIANISM SYSTEM

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SYSTEM

1. Single-Transferable-Vote (STV) System: A proportional representation method that

uses preferential voting in multi-member constituencies.

 Voting and counting process: Voters rank candidates according to their

preferences1. A quota is calculated using the Droop formula to determine the minimum
number of votes needed to win a seat. Candidates who reach the quota are elected and
their surplus votes are transferred to their next preferences. Candidates who have the
least votes are eliminated and their votes are transferred to their next preferences.
This process is repeated until all the seats are filled.
 Advantages and disadvantages: This system reduces the wastage of votes and
ensures a fair representation of different parties and groups. It also gives voters more
choices and influence over the election outcome. However, this system is complex and
time-consuming, and may result in unstable and fragmented governments
2. Party-List System: A system where voters cast their votes for parties rather than individual candidates 1. The
parties prepare a list of candidates in order of preference, and the seats are allocated proportionally to the votes each
party receives.

 Open-list and closed-list systems: Variations of the party-list system where voters can either choose a party
and a candidate within the party (open-list) or just a party (closed-list). The former gives more influence to the
voters, while the latter gives more power to the parties.
 Advantages and disadvantages: The party-list system is praised for being more representative, inclusive, and
fair than the majoritarian methods. It also allows for more diversity and consensus in the political system.
However, it also faces criticism for being too complex, costly, and time-consuming. It may also result in
unstable, fragmented, and weak governments2.

Proportional representation case study

Conclusion