Proportional Representation: How it Works
How Proportional Representation Works
Proportional Representation (PR) is an electoral system designed to allocate seats in a legislature in proportion to the number of votes each party receives. Here’s a brief overview of how PR typically functions:
- Party Lists: Parties present lists of candidates to the electorate. Voters cast their ballots for a party, not for individual candidates.
- Seat Allocation: Seats are distributed to parties based on the percentage of votes they receive. If a party gets 30% of the vote, it should get roughly 30% of the seats.
- Thresholds: Some systems have a minimum threshold (e.g., 5% of the vote) that parties must achieve to gain seats.
- Types of PR Systems:
- List PR: The simplest form where parties receive seats in proportion to their vote share.
- Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP): Combines PR with first-past-the-post (FPTP). Voters have two votes: one for a party list and one for a constituency MP.
- Single Transferable Vote (STV): Voters rank candidates in multi-member constituencies. Seats are allocated based on voters’ preferences and transferable votes.
Vote and Seat Relationship in the House of Commons under PR
In a proportional representation system, the relationship between votes and seats would be much closer to a 1:1 ratio. For example, if a party receives 25% of the national vote, they would receive approximately 25% of the seats in the House of Commons. Here’s how it contrasts with the current first-past-the-post (FPTP) system:
- Current FPTP System: A party can win a large majority of seats with a minority of the total vote due to winning many constituencies by narrow margins.
- Under PR: The distribution of seats would closely match the distribution of votes, leading to a more representative and diverse Parliament.
Local Representation under PR
Local representation under a PR system can vary depending on the specific type of PR adopted. Here are some possibilities:
- Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP):
- Constituency MPs: Some MPs would still be elected to represent specific geographic constituencies.
- List MPs: Additional MPs would be elected from party lists to ensure proportional representation.
- Single Transferable Vote (STV):
- Multi-member Constituencies: Larger constituencies would elect multiple MPs, providing local representation while maintaining proportionality.
- List PR:
- Regional Lists: MPs are elected from regional or national party lists, and local representation may be less direct. However, regions could be used to maintain some form of local connection.
Summary
- Proportional Representation ensures that the percentage of seats each party gets in the legislature closely matches the percentage of votes they receive.
- In the House of Commons: PR would lead to a more balanced and representative allocation of seats compared to the current FPTP system.
- Local Representation: Depending on the type of PR system, local representation could still be maintained through mixed systems or multi-member constituencies.
In essence, while PR focuses on fairer national representation, it can also be designed to preserve local representation, ensuring that citizens still have MPs who represent their specific geographic areas.
