Types of Electoral System

•       There are many definitions of electoral systems.

•       We discuss electoral system for small entity to country’s electoral system.

•       Here, in order to highlight the effects on representation, the electoral system is defined as:

The way in which votes are translated into seats.

•       At the most basic level, electoral systems translate the votes cast in a general election into seats won by parties and candidates.

•       •             The district magnitude—determining how many representatives are elected in one electoral district;

•       •             The formula—determining how the winner of a seat is chosen; and

•       •             The ballot structure—determining whether the voter votes for a candidate or a party and whether the voter makes a single choice or expresses a series of preferences.

•       Electoral systems can be classified into families based on the processes by which they translate votes into seats.

FPTP  =  First Past The Post	MMP= Mixed Member Proportional
TRS = Two-Round System	LIST PR = List Proportional Representation
AV = Alternative Vote	STV = Single Transferable Vote
BV = Block Vote	SNTV = Single Non-Transferable Vote
PBV = Party Block Vote	LV = Limited Vote
PARALLEL=	BC = Borda / priority Count

•       The principle of plurality/majority systems is simple. After votes have been cast and totalled, those candidates or parties with the most votes are declared the winners.

•       However, the way this is achieved in practice varies widely.

•       Five varieties of plurality/majority systems can be identified: First Past The Post (FPTP), Block Vote (BV), Party Block Vote (PBV), Alternative Vote (AV), and the Two-Round System (TRS).

•        This is also called simple majority system. It means in case of single-member constituency, the person or candidate getting the highest number of votes is declared.

•        In this system, political parties present their candidates on the basis on individual capacity.

•       The system of FPTP or Simple Majority System is prevalent in UK, USA, Canada, India, Nepal and some other countries.

•       First Past The Post is the simplest form of plurality/majority electoral system. The winning candidate is the one who gains more votes than any other candidate, even if this is not an absolute majority of valid votes.

•       The system uses single-member districts and the voters vote for candidates rather than political parties.

•       In theory he or she could be elected with two votes, if every other candidate only secured a single vote.

•       This is also called simple majority system. It means in case of single-member constituency, the person or candidate getting the highest number of votes is declared.

•        In this system, political parties present their candidates on the basis on individual capacity.

•       The system of FPTP or Simple Majority System is prevalent in UK, USA, Canada, India, Nepal and some other countries.

•       First Past The Post is the simplest form of plurality/majority electoral system. The winning candidate is the one who gains more votes than any other candidate, even if this is not an absolute majority of valid votes.

•       The system uses single-member districts and the voters vote for candidates rather than political parties.

•       In theory he or she could be elected with two votes, if every other candidate only secured a single vote.

•       It excludes smaller parties from ‘fair’ representation.

•       It excludes minorities from fair representation.

•       It excludes women from the legislature.

•       It recognizes win get all system

•       It leaves a large number of wasted votes.

•       The Two-Round System is a plurality/majority system in which a second election is held if no candidate or party achieves a given level of votes, most commonly an absolute majority (50 per cent plus one), in the first election round.

•       A Two-Round System may take a majority-plurality form—more than two candidates contest the second round and the one who wins the highest number of votes in the second round is elected, regardless of whether they have won an absolute majority—or a majority run-off form—only the top two candidates in the first round contest the second round.

•       This system may be very expensive however, suitable for direct election of presidents.

•       The Alternative Vote is a preferential plurality/majority system used in single-member districts.

•       Voters use numbers to mark their preferences on the ballot paper. A candidate who receives an absolute majority (50 per cent plus 1) of valid first preference votes is declared elected.

•        If no candidate achieves an absolute majority of first preferences, the least successful candidates are eliminated and their votes reallocated according to their second preferences until one candidate has an absolute majority.

•       Voters vote for candidates rather than political parties.

•       Block Vote is a plurality/majority system used in multi-member districts. Electors have as many votes as there are candidates to be elected.

•       The candidates with the highest vote totals win the seats. Usually voters vote for candidates rather than parties and in most systems may use as many, or as few, of their votes as they wish.

•       Party Block Vote - A plurality/majority system using multi-member districts in which voters cast a single party-centred vote for a party of choice, and do not choose between candidates.

•       The party with most votes will win every seat in the electoral district.