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We Know Which One We Prefer But We Don't Really Know Why: The Curious Case of Mixed Member Electoral Systems
Unformatted Document Text:  2 WE KNOW WHICH ONE WE PREFER BUT WE DON’T REALLY KNOW WHY: THE CURIOUS CASE OF MIXED MEMBER ELECTORAL SYSTEMS In present-day debates over electoral reform in developed Anglo-Saxon democracies, there are two electoral systems that feature prominently: the darling of early twenty-first century electoral engineers, mixed member systems, and the system that was much spoken about in debates over electoral system design at the start of the last century, the single transferable vote (STV). 1 New Zealand voters were asked in a referendum in 1993 to choose between these two systems, ultimately opting for a mixed member proportional system (MMP). In the UK, it was decided in the late 1990s that the new regional assemblies in London, Wales and Scotland (the latter a ‘Parliament’) should be elected by MMP. Some revision of this is ongoing and at the time of writing a switch to STV for electing the Scottish Parliament cannot be ruled out. 2 Across the Canadian provinces, a series of electoral reform processes is resulting in decisions to adopt one or other of these systems. 3 And in the US, a prominent pressure group, the Center for Voting and Democracy, is campaigning for the adoption of STV (or ‘choice voting’) the length and breath of the country. 4 This issue also has resonance closer to home, where STV made an appearance as a possible contender for a new system to elect members of the American Political Science Association’s Council: it was recommended as the system of choice by an Elections Review Committee that met in 2004; however, that committee’s recommendation was overruled in the Report of the Committee on Plurality versus STV. 5 Table 1 about here 1 This point may or may not be generalizable outside of the Anglo-Saxon cases. 2 The recent switch to STV for electing Scottish local government councillors (which may also occur in Wales), has clearly played a role in raising the profile of STV. 3 See for instance the deliberations of British Columbia’s Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform (http://www.citizensassembly.bc.ca/public), which recommended that the province shift from SMP to STV. Its recommendation narrowly failed to meet the required 60% threshold in a referendum earlier this year. More generally, see Cross (2005). 4 http://www.fairvote.org/. 5 http://www.apsanet.org/imgtest/STVReportFinalforweb.pdf.

Authors: Farrell, David. and Bowler, Shaun.
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2
WE KNOW WHICH ONE WE PREFER BUT WE DON’T REALLY
KNOW WHY: THE CURIOUS CASE OF MIXED MEMBER
ELECTORAL SYSTEMS
In present-day debates over electoral reform in developed Anglo-Saxon
democracies, there are two electoral systems that feature prominently: the darling of early
twenty-first century electoral engineers, mixed member systems, and the system that was
much spoken about in debates over electoral system design at the start of the last century,
the single transferable vote (STV).
1
1993 to choose between these two systems, ultimately opting for a mixed member
proportional system (MMP). In the UK, it was decided in the late 1990s that the new
regional assemblies in London, Wales and Scotland (the latter a ‘Parliament’) should be
elected by MMP. Some revision of this is ongoing and at the time of writing a switch to
STV for electing the Scottish Parliament cannot be ruled out.
2
provinces, a series of electoral reform processes is resulting in decisions to adopt one or
other of these systems.
3
And in the US, a prominent pressure group, the Center for Voting
and Democracy, is campaigning for the adoption of STV (or ‘choice voting’) the length
and breath of the country.
4
This issue also has resonance closer to home, where STV made an appearance as
a possible contender for a new system to elect members of the American Political Science
Association’s Council: it was recommended as the system of choice by an Elections
Review Committee that met in 2004; however, that committee’s recommendation was
overruled in the Report of the Committee on Plurality versus STV.
5
Table 1 about here
1
This point may or may not be generalizable outside of the Anglo-Saxon cases.
2
The recent switch to STV for electing Scottish local government councillors (which may also occur in
Wales), has clearly played a role in raising the profile of STV.
3
See for instance the deliberations of British Columbia’s Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform
(http://www.citizensassembly.bc.ca/public), which recommended that the province shift from SMP to STV.
Its recommendation narrowly failed to meet the required 60% threshold in a referendum earlier this year.
More generally, see Cross (2005).
4
http://www.fairvote.org/.
5
http://www.apsanet.org/imgtest/STVReportFinalforweb.pdf.


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