The electoral system is responsible for translating the vote of citizens into seats. This establishes the pertinent rules so that this happens during the event of the election where the citizens' representatives.
The electoral system is the set of elements that intervene in
the translation of votes into seats. Thus, it is an all-encompassing concept.
It is not limited only to the vote-seat conversion formula but also establishes
the constituencies, lists, barriers, etc.
Each country configures the elements of its electoral system in
a way, although many share them. In addition, there are elections at all levels
within each country, and although the rules are generally the same, there are
certain distinctions.
Difference Between Electoral System and Electoral Regime
At this point, and before continuing with the definition of the
electoral system, it is necessary to make this distinction. The electoral
regime is the set of rules that affect elections, formal rules, and
legislation. We talk about elements such as the necessary age, who has the
right to active and passive suffrage, who votes and who can be voted for, etc.
The electoral regime also includes the conditions of the foreign
vote, fraud, the composition of the polling stations, etc. In short, the
electoral system also encompasses the legal framework in which voting takes
place and all its elements.
Instead, the electoral system is the element that intervenes in
translating votes into seats. Those who, if reformed, would change the outcome
of the elections.
Elements of the electoral system
As we have mentioned, the electoral system has elements that
allow votes to be translated into seats. We will describe each of them.
Constituency
Suppose we have to choose the legislative power of a
country, that is, the representatives of the nation who will
legislate on behalf of the citizens. As the territory of a country is very
large, it is divided into constituencies, which usually coincide with the
regions or States into which the territory is subdivided.
In each circumscription, certain representatives are elected,
and the sum of them is those that will make up the national legislative
chamber. This division of the whole into constituencies is carried out so that
all the regions have their representatives. There are two types of
constituencies:
- Single-member
constituency: In it, only one representative is elected.
- Multi-member
constituency: Two or more representatives are elected.
It should be noted that there is also a single constituency.
This would mean that the entire territory functions as a single constituency.
Thus, instead of electing a part of the representatives, they would be chosen
based on the results obtained.
The magnitude of the
constituency
This element is the size of the district, that is, the number of
representatives elected in each of them. If the size is very large, the results
will be more proportional. On the contrary, if the size of the constituency is
small, more majority effects will be obtained.
Let's see an example. If six parties are presented for the
elections, and the number of representatives to elect is 50, they will likely
have representation based on the percentage of votes obtained. On the other
hand, if only four are elected in another constituency, two or more parties
will be left without representation, thus altering the relationship between the
percentage of votes and seats.
In systems where the electoral formula is proportional, the
magnitude of the constituency becomes the most important element with respect
to the results obtained.
Election Barrier
The electoral barrier establishes the number of votes necessary for a party to
be entitled to obtain representation. It is expressed as a percentage.
Normally, it is usually 3% or 5%.
Let's see an example. If the electoral barrier is 5%, and a
party has obtained 4.5%, this does not mean distributing the seats among all
the voted parties. Their votes are lost, thus distorting the relationship
between votes and seats. In practice, it does not represent a real distorting
element. Normally, parties with such a low percentage do not usually achieve
representation, even if they overcome said barrier, unless the magnitude is
quite high.
Electoral system lists
An electoral list is the number of candidates presented, in order, by a
political force. There are different types of lists:
- Closed and blocked lists: These lists
cannot be mixed or alter the order of the candidates. When you vote, you
vote for all the candidates in the party's order. If a voter likes the
tenth candidate and only ten seats are distributed, he will surely be left
out of Parliament since his party will not obtain 100% of the votes.
- Closed and unlocked
lists:
It is a hybrid system, you cannot mix candidates, but you can choose the
order of the candidates. If we don't like a candidate or we know that he
is corrupt, we can vote for the party, but not for that candidate.
- Open lists: The open list is
the most democratic option. In it, the voter can choose candidates from
different parties and the order they vote. Thus, you can vote, for
example, for one of the liberal party, three from the socialist, one from
the conservatory, and one from the communist. You vote for the candidate,
not the party.
Electoral Formula
It is one of the best-known elements. It is a mathematical formula responsible
for converting the votes cast into the seats that the voted representatives
will occupy. In proportional systems, we have two large groups:
- Major remainder: A quotient is
determined based on which the votes will be translated into seats.
Subsequently, the votes that have been left without a seat are distributed
among the candidates established by the formula. These formulas are the
Hare, Droop, and Imperiali ratios.
- Higher average: In them, the process is different. The number of votes is divided by the number of seats, and the highest coefficients are chosen until the total number of seats to be elected is completed. The best-known methods are D'Hondt and Sainte-Lägue.
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