description of some of electoral systems on parliamentary elections

Description of some of electoral systems

on parliamentary elections

case of Poland, Hungary, Romania,

Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus

by Vadym Zhygadlo December 2015

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an international economic organisation of 34 countries

Distribution of electoral

system families (IDEA data)

Poland

Hungary

Romania

Belarus

Russia

Ukraine

Moldova

Poland Parliament is bicameral and consists of 2 houses: Sejm (lower house) – with directly elected 460 deputies in 41 multi-member constituencies (7-19 seats per each)

Proportional, List PR

Thresholds: 5% or 8%. No threshold for national minority lists. Distribution of seats by the d’Hondt method (1,2,3,4….). Among a candidate list seats are allocated according to the ranking (voter’s preferences)

Open list. Each voter votes for 1 candidate from 1 list

Senate (upper house) – with directly elected 100 deputies in 100 single-member constituencies

Majority, FPTP

The candidate who receives simple majority of valid votes in a constituency is elected

Closed list. Each voter votes for 1 candidate

Constituencies

(41)

Poland Elections to Sejm

How

does a

ballot

look

like?


only 1 list of candidates

only 1 candidate in a list

Results in the

constituency #34


Results in the constituency #34

for Prawo i Sprawiedliwość


Results in the constituency #34

for all elected deputies


Total amount of voters in the constituency #34 – 503061

Voter turnout in the constituency #34 – 41,3% (201758)

Hungary Parliament is unicameral: National Assembly – with directly elected 199 deputies in: - 106 single-member constituencies - 1 nationwide constituency for 93 seats

Mixed system, MMP

1. FPTP for 106 single-member constituencies – the candidate who receives simple majority of valid votes in a constituency is elected. 2. List PR for 1 nationwide constituency with thresholds: 5%, 10% or 15%. To the votes cast by each party are adding relevant surplus votes from each single-member constituency that include: a) votes cast for any candidate who failed to win the mandate and b) votes for the candidate who won the mandate minus the number of votes for the runner-up candidate plus one. From these aggregated votes preferential quota is formed (1/4 after Hare quota) to give 1 seat to each national minority list. Distribution of remained seats between party lists and minority lists that reached thresholds are taken place according to the d’Hondt method (1,2,3,4….). Among a candidate list seats are allocated according to the ranking in the list

Closed lists. Each voter votes for 1 candidate in 1 of 106 majoritarian constituencies and for 1 political party (it means for a party list in general) in nationwide constituency

Votes for individual candidates

Votes for the national lists who overcame thresholds

FPTP

106 mandates

List PR with d’Hondt method

93 mandates - minus number of mandates for national minority

lists (by preferential quota – 1/4 after Hare quota)

Scheme of votes transferring into seats in Hungary on parliamentary elections

v o t e s

v o t e s

106 single-member constituencies 1 nationwide constituency for 93 seats

Surplus votes theoretical example

500

200

100

single-member constituency’s

results

1 – Red party

2 – Green party

3 – Yellow party

amount of votes cast in SMC

amount of surplus votes to be added to a relevant

party-list votes nationwide

nationwide constituency’s

results

500 – (200+1)

200

100

= n + 299

= n + 200

= n + 100

Surplus votes in Hungary: 2010 vs 2012 electoral law


results





results

500

200

100

1 – Red party 2 – Green party 3 – Yellow party

0

200

100

= n

= n + 200

= n + 100

till 2010


results





results

500

200

100

1 – Red party 2 – Green party 3 – Yellow party

500 – (200+1)

200

100

= n + 299

= n + 200

= n + 100

after2012

Electoral system in Hungary before 2012

without surplus votes

41,3 24,1 19,0 4,8

without surplus votes

68,84% 17,08% 9,55% 2,51%

Romania Parliament is bicameral and consists of 2 houses: Chamber of Deputies (lower house) – with directly elected 315 deputies + 18 seats for minorities + other 79 seats in 315 single-member constituencies

Mixed system, MMP

1. Majority system: the candidate who receives over 50% of valid votes in a constituency is elected. 2. Proportional system: two-round system of seat allocation between parties and blocs – first one is by the Hare quota and second one is by the d’Hondt method (1,2,3,4….). Thresholds: 5%, 8%, 9% or 10%. List of candidates of each party or bloc is formed according to the amount of votes cast by these candidates. In case a party is entitled to more seats than the number of remaining seats in the same county, the number of seats in the given county will increase, thereby creating "overhang seats". Organizations of citizens belonging to a national minority, which are legally established and do not win parliamentary representation in either chamber, are entitled to one seat each in the Chamber of Deputies on the condition that the organization obtains at least 10% of the average number of valid votes casted for an elected Deputy

Open list. Each voter votes for 1 candidate (it’s automati-cally vote for a party)

Senate (upper house) – with directly elected 137 deputies + other 39 seats in 137 single-member constituencies

Mixed system, MMP

Open list. Each voter votes for 1 candidate (it’s automati-cally vote for a party)

Constituencies (315

in 43 county)

Romania, Elections to Chamber of Deputies

1. Votes are aggregated in a county level (each contains 4-28 SMC)

Romania Elections to Chamber

of Deputies

Scheme of votes transferring into seats in Romania

3. If in some SMC any candidate has obtained 50+% of votes – he receives a mandate

2. Distribution of seats between parties and blocs by the Hare quota

4. A rating list of candidates in a county is formed according to the amount of received votes by these candidates (who represent parties that still hasn’t obtained all their seats according to the stage 2). These candidates obtain mandates in others SMCs that are still free. BUT no more than 1 MP from each SMC

6. If after this distribution there are still some unoccupied seats – they are transforming to the national level, where accordingly to the stages 1, 2 and 4 votes are aggregated from all 41 counties and distributed by the d’Hondt method

5. In case a party is entitled to more seats than the number of remaining seats in the same county, the number of seats in the given county will increase, thereby creating "overhang seats"

1. Red – 7 2. Blue – 12 3. Orange – 37 4. Green – 23 5. Black – 17






SMC 1

SMC 4

SMC 2

SMC 5

SMC 3

SMC 6

T

H

E

O

R

E

T

I

C

A

L

E

X

A

M

P

L

E

SMC 1 SMC 2 SMC 3 SMC 4 SMC 5 SMC 6 Total Places

Red 7 16 61 12 20 5 121 1,241026

Blue 12 8 5 17 7 29 78 0,8

Orange 37 53 15 20 48 26 199 2,041026

Green 23 15 8 18 8 31 103 1,05641

Black 17 6 8 30 15 8 84 0,861538

Σ 585

quota 97,5 1. Red – 7 2. Blue – 12 3. Orange – 37 4. Green – 23 5. Black – 17






SMC 1

SMC 4

SMC 2

SMC 5

SMC 3

SMC 6

Orange 48

Orange 37

Green 31

Orange 26

Green 23

Orange 20

Green 18

Orange 15

Green 15

Green 8

Green 8

C

A

S

E

1.

U

N

A

L

L

O

C

A

T

E

D

S

E

A

T

S

SMC 2

SMC 5

SMC 3

SMC 6

SMC 1 SMC 2 SMC 3 SMC 4 SMC 5 SMC 6 Total Places

Red 58 38 61 59 51 28 295 3,025641

Blue 33 34 29 35 19 47 197 2,020513

Black 8 27 9 5 28 24 101 1,035897

Σ 593

quota 98,8

1. Red – 58 2. Blue – 33 3. Black – 8

1. Red – 38 2. Blue – 33 3. Black – 27

1. Red – 61 2. Blue – 29 3. Black – 9

1. Red – 59 2. Blue – 35 3. Black – 5

1. Red – 51 2. Blue – 20 3. Black – 28

1. Red – 28 2. Blue – 47 3. Black – 24

SMC 1

SMC 4

SMC 2

SMC 5

SMC 3

SMC 6

Blue 47

Blue 35

Blue 34

Blue 33

Blue 29

Black 28

Black 27

Black 24

Blue 19

Black 9

Black 8

Black 5

C

A

S

E

2.

“

O

V

E

R

H

A

N

G

S

E

A

T

S

”

SMC 1

SMC 4

SMC 2

SMC 5

SMC 3

SMC 6

Practical effects of the Romanian electoral system

Nominal amount of seats

“Overhang seats”

Seats for minorities

TOTAL

Chamber of Deputies

315 +79 +18 412

Senate 137 +39 0 176

Percentage of popular

votes

Seats won by party in

both houses

Percentage of seats won

by party

Amount of “overhang

seats”

% of “overhang

seats”

USL 58,6% 395 69,3% 1 0,3%

ARD 16,6% 80 14% 55 68,8%

PP-DD 14% 68 11,9% 61 89,7%

UDMR 5,2% 27 4,7% 1 3,7%

“Overhang seats” are given to weaker parties and help to compensate disproportionality

“Overhang seats” cause an increase of the Parliament seats

Moldova Parliament is unicameral: Parliament – with directly elected 101 deputies in 1 nationwide constituency

Proportional system, List PR

Thresholds: 2%, 6%, 9% or 11%. Distribution of seats by the Hare quota, but firstly seats are given to independent candidates who overcame the threshold of 2%. Then an electoral quota is forming: all valid votes at an election (minus votes for independent candidates who has received seats) are divided on 101 seats (minus the amount of seats which have been given to independent candidates). Division of seats between candidates in a list is held according to their order in the list. Elections are validated if the turnout is over 33%

Closed list. Each voter votes for 1 party (it means for a party list in general) or for 1 independent candidate

Features of the electoral system:

• Elections are validated if the turnout is over 33%.

• A ballot contain not only political party or their blocs, but also independent candidates with a threshold of 2% (in comparison to a threshold of 6% for a political party).

• Voters are voting by using a stamp “Votat”

Moldova Elections to Parliament

Election 2014 results: Moldova Elections to Parliament

Ukraine Parliament is unicameral: Verhovna Rada – with directly elected 450 deputies in: - 225 single-member constituencies - 1 nationwide constituency for 225 seats

Mixed system, Parallel

1. FPTP for 225 single-member constituencies – the candidate who receives simple majority of valid votes in a constituency is elected. 2. List PR for 1 nationwide constituency with thresholds: 5%. Distribution of seats by the Hare quota. Division of seats between candidates in a list is held according to their order in the list

Closed list. Each voter votes for 1 candidate in 1 of 225 majoritarian constituencies and for 1 political party (it means for a party list in general) in the nationwide constituency

Election 2014 results: Ukraine Elections to Parliament

Party Vote

share (%) Seats in

NWC Seats in

SMC Total seats

Share of seats in the Parliament

Petro Poroshenko Bloc 21,8% 63 69 132 29,3%

People’s Front 22,1% 64 18 82 18,2%

Self Reliance Party 11,0% 32 1 33 7,3%

Opposition Bloc 9,4% 27 2 29 6,4%

Radical Party 7,4% 22 0 22 4,9%

Fatherland 5,7% 17 2 19 4,2%

Freedom 4,7% - 6 6 1,3%

Communist Party 3,9% - 0 0 0%

Strong Ukraine 3,1% - 1 1 0,2%

Civil Position 3,1% - 0 0 0%

Zastup 2,7% - 1 1 0,2%

Right Sector 1,8% - 1 1 0,2%

Volia - - 1 1 0,2%

Independent - - 96 96 21,3%

Vacant - - 27 27 6%

Election 2014 results:

Russia Parliament is bicameral and consists of 2 houses: State Duma (lower house) – with directly elected 450 deputies in: - 225 single-member constituencies - 1 nationwide constituency for 225 seats

Mixed system, Parallel

1. FPTP for 225 single-member constituencies – the candidate who receives simple majority of valid votes in a constituency is elected. 2. List PR for 1 nationwide constituency with thresholds: 5%. Distribution of seats by the Hare quota. Division of seats between candidates in a list is held according to their order in the list

Closed list. Each voter votes for 1 candidate in 1 of 225 majoritarian constituencies and for 1 political party (it means for a party list in general) in the nationwide constituency

Council of the Federation (upper house) – with appointed 170 deputies in 85 multi-member (2 seats) constituencies

Quasi majority system

Each of the constituent members of the Russian Federation (federal territorial units) appoints 2 deputies: 1 by a legislature and 1 by an executive power of a republic or region concerned. A legislature votes for a candidate by a majority of votes of its squad. A head of an executive power (before he/she is elected by voters on a popular election or appointed by a legislature) proclaims 3 candidates to the post of deputy of the Council of the Federation, one of which will be appointed when he will be elected

Election 2011 results (only List PR system was used):

Russia Elections to State Duma

Belarus Parliament is bicameral and consists of 2 houses: House of Representatives (lower house) – with directly elected 110 deputies in 110 single-member constituencies

Majority system, Two-round TRS

In the first round candidates who receive over 50% of votes are declared elected. Voting is considered valid if over 50% of eligible voters took part. In the second round candidate securing a simple majority of votes wins the seat. Voting is considered valid if over 25% of eligible voters took part

Closed list. Each voter votes for 1 candidate

Council of the Republic (upper house) – with indirectly elected 56 deputies in 7 multi-member constituencies (8 seats) + 8 appointed deputies by President

Majority system

Candidates who receive over 50% of votes are declared elected

Open list. Each voter (local deputy) has up to 8 votes

Constituencies (101) Belarus, Elections to

House of Representatives

Political groups in the House of Representatives:

• Non-partisan – 105

• Communist Party of Belarus – 3

• Agrarian Party – 1

• Republican Party of Labour and Justice – 1

In general, there are 15 parties in Belarus,

but only 3 of them are represented in the parliament

Election 2012 results: Belarus, Elections to

House of Representatives

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENSION

description of some of electoral systems on parliamentary elections

Law