Electoral Systems
Women and Elections
The National Democratic Institute
INTRODUCTIONS/
GROUND RULES
• Introductions
• Ground rules
• Ice breaker exercise
Photo: NDI
ELECTORAL SYSTEMS OBJECTIVES
• To understand the different types
of electoral systems
• To increase awareness of the
potential advantages and
disadvantages to these systems
from a gender perspective
ELECTORAL SYSTEMS TOPICS
• Electoral Systems:
o Proportional Representation
o Majoritarian
o Mixed
Photo: Kathy Gest
KEY TERMS
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Electoral System
Proportional Representation
Majoritarian System
Open/Closed Party List
Gender Quota
Photo: NDI
What Do They Do?
At the most basic level, electoral
systems translate the votes cast in a
general election into seats won by
parties and candidates.
~ IDEA Electoral System Design Handbook
TYPES OF ELECTORAL SYSTEMS
Plurality/
Majority
Proportional
Mixed
List PR
Parallel
FPTP
TRS
AV
BV
PBV
Other
SNTV
LV
STV
MMP
BC
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
Advantages
• Proportionality
• Encourage formation of
parties
• Facilitate diverse
representation
• Candidates need to get
votes from all over, not
just from a particular
region
Disadvantages
• Coalition governments,
which can be unstable
• Small parties have
disproportionate power
• Accountability
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
List PR
Multi-member districts
Parties create candidate lists
Voters select a party
Parties are allocated seats based on
percentage of vote received
• “Open” or “closed” lists
• Thresholds very important
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BALLOT EXAMPLE
Photo: ACE Project
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
List PR
Advantages
• Reflects proportionality
• Allows smaller parties to
compete
Criticisms
• Need more developed
parties
• Minority and women’s
quotas are easier to
implement
• Requires greater
coordination by parties,
concentrates power in
hands of central party
organization
• Encourages developed
parties
• Weakens link between parties
and constituents
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
Single Transferable Vote (STV)
• Multi-member districts
• Results through series of vote counts
• If no one gets quota, candidate with lowest
total votes is eliminated and votes
redistributed
• Continues until all seats are filled
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
Single Transferable Vote (STV)
Advantages
Criticisms
• Voters choose individuals • Complex/requires higher
and parties
literacy
• Fairly proportional
results
• Party members compete
against each other
• Strengthens partyconstituent connection
• Party with a plurality of
votes can end up getting
fewer seats
MAJORITARIAN
• Also known as “plurality system”
• Whoever wins the most votes, wins
the election.
Photo: Marie-Eve_NDI-Pakistan
MAJORITARIAN TYPES
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First Past the Post
Two-Round System
Block Vote
Party Block Vote
Alternate Vote
MAJORITARIAN
First Past the Post (FPTP)
• Citizens divided into districts cast a
single vote for their candidate
• Whoever gets the most votes, wins
• More typical of countries where a
single individual represents a
geographic area
MAJORITARIAN
First Past the Post
Advantages
• Simple
Criticisms
• Excludes smaller parties
• Clear choices between • Can lead to exclusion of
candidates
ethnic minorities
• Encourages links
between constituents
and MPs
• Can foster more
broad-based politics
where there is not a
majority ethnic group
• Dependent on electoral
boundaries
(gerrymandering)
MAJORITARIAN
Two-Round System
• Similar to FPTP; Candidates require
absolute majority
• First round of FPTP voting. If
someone gets a majority, s/he wins
• If not, some candidates may be
eliminated and a second vote takes
place
MAJORITARIAN
Two-Round System
Advantages
• Gives voters a second
chance
• Encourages bargains and
tradeoffs
• Minimizes vote-splitting
Criticisms
• Expensive
• Similar disadvantages to
FPTP
• Can trigger conflict
MAJORITARIAN
Block Vote
• Multi-member districts
• Voters get as many votes as there are
candidates—can use all, some or none
• “X” number of candidates with highest
vote totals elected
MAJORITARIAN
Block Vote
Advantages
• Voters can pick
individuals
Criticisms
• Can exaggerate FPTP
problems
• Parties can have a more • Can fragment parties
active role than in FPTP • Candidate selection must
• Rewards organized
produce a strategic
parties
number of candidates
with broad appeal
MAJORITARIAN
Party Block Vote
• Multi-member districts
• Parties build lists of candidates
• Voters choose party list not an
individual
• Party list gets elected
MAJORITARIAN
Party Block Vote
Advantages
• Simple
Criticisms
• Suffers from
problems of FPTP,
particularly
• Encourages strong parties
disproportionality
• Can facilitate minority
representation
MAJORITARIAN
Alternative Vote
• Single-member districts
• Voters rank candidate preferences
• If candidate secures an absolute
majority of first choice votes, s/he is
elected
• If not, candidate with the lowest votes
is eliminated, and votes reallocated
MAJORITARIAN
Alternative Vote
Advantages
• Candidates must seek
“first” and “second”
votes of voters
• Can encourage
compromise
• Avoids “tactical
voting” in FPTP
Criticisms
• Complex/ requires
higher level of literacy
• Centrist outcomes
depend more on
political context than
electoral system
• Doesn’t work well with
larger, multi-member
districts
BALLOT EXAMPLE
Photo: ACE Project, International IDEA Handbook (2005)
ELECTORAL SYSTEM
DIMENSIONS
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District Size
District Magnitude
Threshold
Party vs. Candidate
Quotas
Photo: Kathy Gest
DISTRICT SIZE AND MAGNITUDE
• Single or multiple districts?
• Number of representatives elected
per district (district magnitude)
Photo: Megan Doherty, NDI
PARTY LISTS AND THRESHOLD
• Open vs. Closed Lists
• Higher thresholds tend to result in
more women elected
OTHER ELECTORAL SYSTEM
DIMENSIONS
• Party vs. Candidate
• Quotas
Photo: lrobinsonNDI
EXERCISE
In small groups, discuss the pros
and cons of your current electoral
system.
ELECTORAL SYSTEMS REVIEW
• Electoral Systems:
o Proportional Representation
o Majoritarian
o Mixed
• Electoral System Dimensions
 Questions?
 Feedback?