Poster for the European Parliament election 2004 in Italy, showing party lists
In these systems, parties make lists of candidates to be elected, and seats are distributed by elections authorities to each party in proportion to the number of votes the party receives. Voters may vote for the party, as in Albania, Argentina, Turkey, and Israel; or for candidates whose vote total will pool to the party/parties, as in Finland, Brazil and the Netherlands;[2] or a choice between the last two ways stated: panachage.[3]
In most party list systems, a voter may only vote for one party (single choice ballot) with their list vote, although ranked ballots may also be used (spare vote). Open list systems may allow more than one preference voteswithin a party list (votes for candidates are called preference votes - not to be confused with the other meaning of preferential voting as in ranked-choice voting). Some systems allow for voters to vote for candidates on multiple lists, this is called panachage.
Selection of party candidates
The order in which a party's list candidates get elected may be pre-determined by some method internal to the party or the candidates (a closed list system) or it may be determined by the voters at large (an open list system) or by districts (a local list system).
In a closed list systems, each political party has pre-decided who will receive the seats allocated to that party in the elections, so that the candidates positioned highest on this list tend to always get a seat in the parliament while the candidates positioned very low on the closed list will not. Voters vote only for the party, not for individual candidates.
An open list describes any variant of a party-list where voters have at least some influence on the order in which a party's candidates are elected. Open list can be anywhere from relatively closed, where a candidate can move up a predetermined list only with a certain number of votes, to completely open, where the order of the list completely depends on the number of votes each individual candidate gets.
In France, party lists in proportional elections must include as many candidates (and twice as many substitutes for the departmental elections) as there are seats to be allocated, whereas in other countries "incomplete" lists are allowed, which is not a problem under a panachage system.
Apportionment of party seats
Many variations on seat allocation within party-list proportional representation exist. The two most common types are:
While the allocation formula is important, equally important is the district magnitude (number of seats in a constituency). The higher the district magnitude, the more proportional an electoral system becomes - the most proportional being when there is no division into constituencies at all and the entire country is treated as a single constituency.[citation needed] More, in some countries the electoral system works on two levels: at-large for parties, and in constituencies for candidates, with local party-lists seen as fractions of general, national lists. In this case, magnitude of local constituencies is irrelevant, seat apportionment being calculated at national level.
List proportional representation may also be combined with other apportionment methods (most commonly majoritarian) in various mixed systems, e.g., using the additional member system.
Example
Below it can be seen how different apportionment methods yield different results with the same number of seats and votes (100 and 2832 in this example).
As there are 100 seats, the percentage values for every party's share of the vote is equal to the party's vote count divided by the Hare quota (which is the ratio of vote and seat totals), and in this case the share of seats under the largest remainder method using this quota happens to be the same as the percentage values rounded to the nearest integer (because exactly 3 party's results has to be rounded up, same as there are 3 seats to assign with the largest remainder method after 97 seats are assigned based on the integer part of the vote share divided by the Hare quota). The Webster/Sainte-Laguë method yields the same result (but this is not always the case), otherwise all other methods give a different number of seats to the parties.
Notable is how the D'Hondt method breaks the quota rule (shown in red text) and favours the largest party with 37% of seats, even though it only got 35,91% of the vote (the quota rule would allow either 35 or 36 seats in this case = rounding up or rounding down, but no jump to 34 or 37). Also, the Adams and Huntington-Hill methods, which (without a threshold) greatly favour smaller parties gave 2 seats to the smallest party and would have both given at least 1 seat to every party if it got even just 1 vote from 2832. Of the highest average methods, modified versions of the formulas may not be strictly proportional. For example, the Imperiali method (not to be confused with the Imperiali quota) can be seen as a modified version of the D'Hondt (or Adams) method, and it is technically not proportional (e.g., if a party received 500/1000 votes, and there were 100 seats to be apportioned, it may sometimes not only get 50 - the clearly proportional number of seats - but could also get 51). The Macanese modification of the d'Hondt method, whose quotients are based on the formula , is clearly disproportional; the great variations between the parties' vote shares are effectively reduced, and each party has a roughly equal number of seats.
List of countries using party-list proportional representation
The table below lists countries that use a proportional electoral system to fill a nationally elected legislative body. Detailed information on electoral systems applying to the first chamber of the legislature is maintained by the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network.[6][7] Countries using PR as part of a parallel voting (mixed-member majoritarian) or another mixed system (e.g. MMP) are not included.
Party lists run-off, but only if necessary to ensure stable majority of 54% if it is not achieved either immediately (one party) or through building a coalition.[9][10] If a party would win more than 2/3 seats, at least 1/3 seats are distributed to the other parties.
Ballots use the double simultaneous vote: voters cast a single vote for a presidential candidate and their party's list and local candidates at the same time (vote splitting is not possible/allowed)
Nationwide closed lists and open lists in multi-member districts. The winning party used to receive a majority bonus of 50 seats (out of 300), but this system will be abolished two elections after 2016.[11] In 2020 parliament voted to return to the majority bonus two elections thereafter.[12]
^"Greek MPs approve end to bonus seats, lower voting age". Reuters. 2016-07-21. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
^"Parliament votes to change election law | Kathimerini". www.ekathimerini.com. Retrieved 2020-01-25.
^"CODUL ELECTORAL" [Electoral Code]. Article 94, Act of 21 November 1997 (in Romanian). Parliament Republic of Moldova.
^"Sri Lanka electors can vote for one party, three preferences in 2020 general elections: polls chief". EconomyNext. August 4, 2020.
^Swedish Election Authority: Elections in Sweden: The way its done 2009-02-25 at the Wayback Machine (page 16)
^Shugart, Matthew Søberg (December 2005). "Semi-Presidential Systems: Dual Executive And Mixed Authority Patterns". French Politics. 3 (3): 323–351. doi:10.1057/palgrave.fp.8200087. S2CID 73642272.
^Elgie, Robert (2016). "Government Systems, Party Politics, and Institutional Engineering in the Round". Insight Turkey. 18 (4): 79–92. ISSN 1302-177X. JSTOR 26300453.
Advantages and disadvantages of List PR - from the ACE Project
Open, Closed and Free Lists - from the ACE Project
Handbook of Electoral System Choice 2010-04-28 at the Wayback Machine
Apportionment, or How to Round Seat Numbers
January 26, 2023
party, list, proportional, representation, list, subset, proportional, representation, electoral, systems, which, multiple, candidates, elected, elections, parliament, through, their, position, electoral, list, they, also, used, part, mixed, member, electoral,. Party list proportional representation list PR is a subset of proportional representation electoral systems in which multiple candidates are elected e g elections to parliament through their position on an electoral list They can also be used as part of mixed member electoral systems 1 Poster for the European Parliament election 2004 in Italy showing party listsIn these systems parties make lists of candidates to be elected and seats are distributed by elections authorities to each party in proportion to the number of votes the party receives Voters may vote for the party as in Albania Argentina Turkey and Israel or for candidates whose vote total will pool to the party parties as in Finland Brazil and the Netherlands 2 or a choice between the last two ways stated panachage 3 Contents 1 Voting 2 Selection of party candidates 2 1 Closed list 2 2 Open list 3 Apportionment of party seats 3 1 Example 3 2 Electoral threshold 4 List of countries using party list proportional representation 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksVoting EditIn most party list systems a voter may only vote for one party single choice ballot with their list vote although ranked ballots may also be used spare vote Open list systems may allow more than one preference votes within a party list votes for candidates are called preference votes not to be confused with the other meaning of preferential voting as in ranked choice voting Some systems allow for voters to vote for candidates on multiple lists this is called panachage Selection of party candidates EditThe order in which a party s list candidates get elected may be pre determined by some method internal to the party or the candidates a closed list system or it may be determined by the voters at large an open list system or by districts a local list system Closed list Edit Main article Closed list In a closed list systems each political party has pre decided who will receive the seats allocated to that party in the elections so that the candidates positioned highest on this list tend to always get a seat in the parliament while the candidates positioned very low on the closed list will not Voters vote only for the party not for individual candidates Open list Edit Main article Open list An open list describes any variant of a party list where voters have at least some influence on the order in which a party s candidates are elected Open list can be anywhere from relatively closed where a candidate can move up a predetermined list only with a certain number of votes to completely open where the order of the list completely depends on the number of votes each individual candidate gets In France party lists in proportional elections must include as many candidates and twice as many substitutes for the departmental elections as there are seats to be allocated whereas in other countries incomplete lists are allowed which is not a problem under a panachage system Apportionment of party seats EditMany variations on seat allocation within party list proportional representation exist The two most common types are The highest averages method or divisor method including the D Hondt method Jefferson method is used in Armenia Austria Brazil Bulgaria Cambodia Croatia Estonia Finland Poland and Spain and the Sainte Lague method Webster method is used in Indonesia New Zealand Norway and Sweden The largest remainder LR methods including the Hamilton method Different apportionment formulas may favour smaller or larger parties 4 D Hondt method slightly favours larger parties 5 Adams method greatly favours very small parties Webster Sainte Lague method Macanese d Hondt method greatly favours smaller parties Huntington Hill method slightly favours small parties Hamilton method Imperiali method greatly disfavours very small parties not strictly proportional LR Hare slightly favours very small parties when unmodified if there is no electoral threshold LR Droop very slightly favours larger parties LR Hagenbach Bischoff slightly favours larger parties LR Imperiali greatly favours larger parties While the allocation formula is important equally important is the district magnitude number of seats in a constituency The higher the district magnitude the more proportional an electoral system becomes the most proportional being when there is no division into constituencies at all and the entire country is treated as a single constituency citation needed More in some countries the electoral system works on two levels at large for parties and in constituencies for candidates with local party lists seen as fractions of general national lists In this case magnitude of local constituencies is irrelevant seat apportionment being calculated at national level List proportional representation may also be combined with other apportionment methods most commonly majoritarian in various mixed systems e g using the additional member system Example Edit Below it can be seen how different apportionment methods yield different results with the same number of seats and votes 100 and 2832 in this example As there are 100 seats the percentage values for every party s share of the vote is equal to the party s vote count divided by the Hare quota which is the ratio of vote and seat totals and in this case the share of seats under the largest remainder method using this quota happens to be the same as the percentage values rounded to the nearest integer because exactly 3 party s results has to be rounded up same as there are 3 seats to assign with the largest remainder method after 97 seats are assigned based on the integer part of the vote share divided by the Hare quota The Webster Sainte Lague method yields the same result but this is not always the case otherwise all other methods give a different number of seats to the parties Notable is how the D Hondt method breaks the quota rule shown in red text and favours the largest party with 37 of seats even though it only got 35 91 of the vote the quota rule would allow either 35 or 36 seats in this case rounding up or rounding down but no jump to 34 or 37 Also the Adams and Huntington Hill methods which without a threshold greatly favour smaller parties gave 2 seats to the smallest party and would have both given at least 1 seat to every party if it got even just 1 vote from 2832 Of the highest average methods modified versions of the formulas may not be strictly proportional For example the Imperiali method not to be confused with the Imperiali quota can be seen as a modified version of the D Hondt or Adams method and it is technically not proportional e g if a party received 500 1000 votes and there were 100 seats to be apportioned it may sometimes not only get 50 the clearly proportional number of seats but could also get 51 The Macanese modification of the d Hondt method whose quotients are based on the formula V 2 s displaystyle textstyle frac V 2 s is clearly disproportional the great variations between the parties vote shares are effectively reduced and each party has a roughly equal number of seats Party Votes Largest remainder method Highest averages methodHare quota Droop quota Hagenbach Bischoff quota Imperiali quota D Hondt Jefferson Adams Sainte Lague Webster Huntington Hill Imperiali Macanese D Hondtvotes seats displaystyle frac text votes text seats Integer votes seats 1 1 displaystyle textstyle operatorname Integer left frac text votes text seats 1 right 1 votes seats 1 displaystyle frac text votes text seats 1 votes seats 2 displaystyle frac text votes text seats 2 votes seats 1 displaystyle frac text votes text seats 1 votes seats displaystyle frac text votes text seats votes seats 0 5 displaystyle frac text votes text seats 0 5 votes seats seats 1 displaystyle frac text votes sqrt text seats text seats 1 votes seats 2 displaystyle frac text votes text seats 2 votes 2 seats displaystyle frac text votes 2 text seats A 1017 35 91 36 35 36 36 37 35 36 36 38 19B 1000 35 31 35 35 36 36 36 34 35 35 37 18C 383 13 52 14 14 13 14 13 14 14 13 13 17D 327 11 55 12 12 12 11 11 12 12 12 11 17E 63 2 22 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 1 15F 42 1 48 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 0 14Total 2832 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100Electoral threshold Edit Main article Electoral thresholdList of countries using party list proportional representation EditThe table below lists countries that use a proportional electoral system to fill a nationally elected legislative body Detailed information on electoral systems applying to the first chamber of the legislature is maintained by the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network 6 7 Countries using PR as part of a parallel voting mixed member majoritarian or another mixed system e g MMP are not included Country Legislative body List type Variation of open lists if applicable Allocating formula Electoral threshold Constituencies Governmental system NotesAlbania Parliament Kuvendi Open list Highest averages method D Hondt method 4 nationally or 2 5 in a district CountiesAlgeria People s National Assembly Open list Largest remainder method Hare quota 5 of votes in respective district 8 Angola National Assembly Closed list Highest averages method D Hondt method citation needed 5 member districts and nationwide Double simultaneous vote use to elect the President and the National Assembly at the same election Argentina Chamber of Deputies Closed list Highest averages method D Hondt method 3 of registered votersArmenia National Assembly Open list Largest remainder method quota 5 parties 7 blocs Party lists run off but only if necessary to ensure stable majority of 54 if it is not achieved either immediately one party or through building a coalition 9 10 If a party would win more than 2 3 seats at least 1 3 seats are distributed to the other parties Closed list Largest remainder method quota Aruba Parliament Open listAustria National Council Open list More open 14 on the district level among votes for the candidates party Largest remainder method Hare quota 4 Single member districts within federal states Lander Parliamentary republicOpen list More open 10 on the regional state level among votes for the candidates party Largest remainder method Hare quota Federal states Lander Open list More open 7 of the on the federal level among votes for the candidates party Highest averages method D Hondt method Single federal nationwide constituencyBelgium Chamber of Representatives Open list 5 Benin National Assembly Closed listBolivia Chamber of Senators Closed list D Hondt method Ballots use the double simultaneous vote voters cast a single vote for a presidential candidate and their party s list and local candidates at the same time vote splitting is not possible allowed Bosnia and Herzegovina House of Representatives Open listBrazil Chamber of Deputies Open list Highest averages method D Hondt method 2 distributed in at least 9 Federation Units with at least 1 of the valid votes in each one of them States and Federal District Presidential republicBulgaria National Assembly Open list 4 Burkina Faso National Assembly Closed listBurundi 2 CambodiaCape VerdeChileColombiaCosta RicaCroatia 5 CyprusCzech Republic 5 Denmark 2 Dominican RepublicEast TimorEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEstonia 5 Faroe IslandsFiji 5 FinlandGreece 3 Nationwide closed lists and open lists in multi member districts The winning party used to receive a majority bonus of 50 seats out of 300 but this system will be abolished two elections after 2016 11 In 2020 parliament voted to return to the majority bonus two elections thereafter 12 GreenlandGuatemalaGuinea BissauGuyanaHondurasIcelandIndonesia 4 Israel 3 25 Kazakhstan 7 KosovoLatvia 5 LebanonLiechtenstein 8 Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies Open list Panachage number of votes equal to the number of members elected d Hondt method No de jure threshold Four multi member constituencies ranging from 7 to 23 members Parliamentary systemMacedoniaMoldova Parliament Closed list Highest averages method D Hondt method 5 party 7 electoral block 2 independent 13 None single nationwide constituency Unitary parliamentary republicMontenegro 3 MozambiqueNamibiaNetherlands House of Representatives Open list More open 25 of the quota to override the default party list Highest averages method D Hondt method No de jure threshold but an effective threshold of 0 67 1 150 for a seat None single nationwide constituency Parliamentary systemNorway Parliament Storting Open list De facto closed list 50 of votes to override 4 ParaguayPeru 5 Poland 5 threshold or more for single parties 8 or more for coalitions or 0 or more for minoritiesPortugalRomaniaRwandaSan Marino 3 5 If needed to ensure a stable majority the two best placed parties participate in a run off vote to receive a majority bonus Sao Tome and PrincipeSerbia 5 or less citation needed Sint MaartenSlovakia 5 Slovenia 4 South AfricaSpain Congress of Deputies Closed list Highest averages method D Hondt method 3 Provinces of Spain Parliamentary systemSri Lanka Parliament Open list for 196 225 seats Panachage up to 3 preference votes 14 Highest averages method D Hondt method 5 per constituency Constituencies Semi presidential systemClosed list for 29 225 seats No threshold None single nationwide constituency Suriname National Assembly Open list Most open Highest averages method D Hondt method No threshold Districts of Suriname Assembly independent republicSweden Riksdag Open list More open 5 of the party vote to override the default party list 15 Highest averages method Sainte Lague method Leveling seats 4 nationally or 12 in a given constituency Counties of Sweden some counties are further subdivided Parliamentary systemSwitzerland National Council Open list Panachage Highest averages method D Hondt method Hagenbach Bischoff system No threshold Cantons of Switzerland Semi direct democracy under an assembly independent 16 17 directorial republicTogo National Assembly Closed list Highest averages method No threshold Constituencies Presidential systemTunisia Assembly of the Representatives of the People Closed list Largest remainder method No threshold Constituencies Semi presidential systemTurkey Grand National Assembly Closed list Highest averages method D Hondt method 7 for multi party alliances No threshold for independent candidates Provinces of Turkey some provinces are further subdivided Presidential systemUruguay Chamber of Representatives Closed list Highest averages method D Hondt method No threshold Departments of Uruguay Presidential system Ballots use the double simultaneous vote the same ballot is used for electing the president first round and the two chambersChamber of Senators None single nationwide constituency See also EditComparison of the Hare and Droop quotas General ticket party block voting a term usually given to less or non proportional equivalents Mixed member proportional representation a system similar to party list proportional representation Leveling seats List MP Ley de Lemas Sectoral representation in the House of Representatives of the Philippines Outline of democracyReferences Edit Proportional Representation Systems mtholyoke edu Proportional Representation Open List Electoral Systems in Europe PDF International Foundation for Electoral Systems Archived from the original PDF on 2014 12 24 Systeme electoral du Grand Duche de Luxembourg fr elections public lu Benoit Kenneth Which Electoral Formula Is the MostProportional A New Lookwith New Evidence PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2010 06 24 Wilson Helen J The D Hondt Method Explained PDF ACE Project The Electoral Knowledge Network Electoral Systems Comparative Data World Map Retrieved 24 October 2017 ACE Project The Electoral Knowledge Network Electoral Systems Comparative Data Table by Country Retrieved 24 October 2017 FINAL REPORT ON ALGERIA S LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS pdf ACE Project National Democratic Institute 10 May 2012 Retrieved 10 January 2015 Armenia Parliamentary Elections 2 April 2017 Needs Assessment Mission Report www osce org Retrieved 2022 05 30 DocumentView www arlis am Greek MPs approve end to bonus seats lower voting age Reuters 2016 07 21 Retrieved 2019 06 22 Parliament votes to change election law Kathimerini www ekathimerini com Retrieved 2020 01 25 CODUL ELECTORAL Electoral Code Article 94 Act of 21 November 1997 in Romanian Parliament Republic of Moldova Sri Lanka electors can vote for one party three preferences in 2020 general elections polls chief EconomyNext August 4 2020 Swedish Election Authority Elections in Sweden The way its done Archived 2009 02 25 at the Wayback Machine page 16 Shugart Matthew Soberg December 2005 Semi Presidential Systems Dual Executive And Mixed Authority Patterns French Politics 3 3 323 351 doi 10 1057 palgrave fp 8200087 S2CID 73642272 Elgie Robert 2016 Government Systems Party Politics and Institutional Engineering in the Round Insight Turkey 18 4 79 92 ISSN 1302 177X JSTOR 26300453 External links Edit Politics portalAdvantages and disadvantages of List PR from the ACE Project Open Closed and Free Lists from the ACE Project Handbook of Electoral System Choice Archived 2010 04 28 at the Wayback Machine Apportionment or How to Round Seat Numbers Glossary of Electoral Formulas Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Party list proportional representation amp oldid 1122203535, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
