Proportional Representation

Proportional Representation

1. Single Transferable Vote (STV)

   • Northern Ireland Assembly
     • has multimember constituencies (18 constituencies with 6 members). Parties are able to put forward as many candidates as they wish
     • Ballot paper- order of preference
     • candidate must recieve certain QUOTA:
       • total no votes cast no seats to be filled + 1
       • Droop formula
     • If candidate recieves quota, additional votes for them are coutned according to peoples 2nd preferences
     • process can leave seats unfilled- candidate with fewest seats drops out- votes are redistributed accoring to electorates 2nd preference
       • Highly proportional outcomes

2. Additional Members system

   • Scottish parliament/ Welsh assembly/Greater london Assembly elections
     • 'mixed voting system made up of constituenciy and party-list elements
     • Voters cast 2 vote: candidate & party.
     • the party list election element is used to 'top up' constituency results- this is done by D'hondt method.- to achiieve proprotionate outcomes.
     • Some of seats are filled up by FPTP (56% of SP) rest are 'closed' party-list system
     • Allows voters to make wider and more considered choices.

3. Regional Party list

   • Elections for the Euopean parliament in Enlgand/ scotland/ wales
     • Number of large constituencies (UK divided 12).
     • Political parties compile list of candidates- electors vote for parties not for candidate- UK used 'closed' list elections.
     • Seats then allocated according to the proportion of votes won by each party in region.
     • May Mep elections: UKIP won 24 seats of 27% of vote)
     • Encourages greater diversity in women and ethnic minorities