electoral system
How votes count
An electoral system is the set of rules determining how votes translate into political representation.
Different systems produce different outcomes: winner-take-all systems tend toward two dominant parties, while proportional representation allows smaller parties to gain seats.
The country reformed its electoral system after widespread allegations of fraud.
Voting document
- suffrageRight to cast ballots
- franchiseLicensed business operation
- pollingSystematic opinion gathering
- turnoutNumber attending an event
absentee · proxy · mail-in · booth · disenfranchisement · enfranchisement · undervote · overvote
Inherent physical or structural makeup
- legislatureLawmaking governmental branch
- parliamentNational legislative assembly
- bicameralHaving two chambers
- unicameralOne legislative chamber
senate · assembly · executive · federalism · sovereignty · term-limits · dissolution · coalition
Electoral district's voters
- apportionmentDivision into shares
- redistrictingRedrawing electoral boundaries
- gerrymanderingManipulating electoral boundaries strategically
- mandateFormal authoritative directive
delegate · constituent · malapportionment · reapportionment · district · riding · ward · precinct
Direct vote on legislation
- plebisciteDirect vote by citizens
- initiativeSelf-directed action capacity
- recallMemory retrieval act
- deliberationCareful weighing of choices
Scaled to match another
- majoritarianRule by most voters
- first-past-the-postMost votes wins
- ranked-choiceBallot listing candidates by preference
- mixed-memberDual-ballot electoral system
runoff · threshold · quota · winner-take-all
Change to official text
- modernizationAdoption of current methods
- redistrictingRedrawing electoral boundaries
- transparencyState of being see-through
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
enfranchisement · inclusivity · decentralization · harmonization · standardization · disclosure · term-limits · abolition
ballot
Voting document
- suffrageRight to cast ballots
- franchiseLicensed business operation
- pollingSystematic opinion gathering
turnout · absentee · proxy · mail-in · booth · disenfranchisement · enfranchisement · undervote · overvote · paper-trail
constitution
Inherent physical or structural makeup
- legislatureLawmaking governmental branch
- parliamentNational legislative assembly
- bicameralHaving two chambers
unicameral · senate · assembly · executive · federalism · sovereignty · term-limits · dissolution · coalition · power-sharing
constituency
Electoral district's voters
- apportionmentDivision into shares
- redistrictingRedrawing electoral boundaries
- gerrymanderingManipulating electoral boundaries strategically
mandate · delegate · constituent · malapportionment · reapportionment · district · riding · ward · precinct · at-large
referendum
Direct vote on legislation
- plebisciteDirect vote by citizens
- initiativeSelf-directed action capacity
- recallMemory retrieval act
deliberation · proposition · ratification · supermajority · quorum
proportional
Scaled to match another
- majoritarianRule by most voters
- first-past-the-postMost votes wins
- ranked-choiceBallot listing candidates by preference
mixed-member · runoff · threshold · quota · winner-take-all
amendment
Change to official text
- modernizationAdoption of current methods
- redistrictingRedrawing electoral boundaries
- transparencyState of being see-through
accountability · enfranchisement · inclusivity · decentralization · harmonization · standardization · disclosure · term-limits · abolition · anti-corruption
- Swiss politicsdirect democracy, cantons, referendums, initiatives, popular vote
- democracyvote, voting, ballot, ballots, voters
- governmentgovernment, ministries, legislature, judiciary, executive branch
- systemsecosystems, ecosystem, biological systems, transportation network, communication systems
- Canadian GovernmentHouse of Commons, Senate, Prime Minister, federal government, parliamentary democracy
- German PoliticsBundesrat, CSU, Nazi Party, Greens, federal republic
electoral systemhereditary succession
Passing titles through lineage
dictatorship · absolute monarchy · autocracy · military junta · one-party rule
electoral systemdivine right of kings
Monarchs rule by celestial mandate
electoral systemcoup d'état
Violent government seizure
violent overthrow · military coup · revolution · putsch · palace coup
system, elect, election, elected, electoral, systematic, electing, elections, elector