Articles and Insights

Accessible commentary and insights from the Electoral Reform Society on the issues shaping our democracy.

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How Sainte-Laguë could improve Scottish Parliamentary elections

Scotland’s Parliament has always been better at representing the political makeup of Scotland than Westminster. A parliament where votes mattered more, where power was shared, and where the political map reflected how people actually voted....

Posted 28 Jan 2026

D’Hondt often over-rewards parties that have already done well

Is the Scottish Parliament designed to stop a majority?

As we approach the next Scottish parliamentary election, there’s a familiar narrative creeping into the conversation: that the system of proportional representation used in Holyrood is somehow ‘designed to stop a majority.’ It’s a catchy...

Posted 15 Oct 2025

Scotlands AMS system doesnt prevent parties from winning if they genuinely earn it

2023 at the ERS: Party conference season report

Each year we write an Annual Report which looks back at our achievements across the last 12 months, and explains how our team have campaigned towards securing our vision for a democracy fit for the...

Posted 30 Nov 2023

2023 at the ERS: Our work behind the scenes

Each year we write an Annual Report which looks back at our achievements across the last 12 months, and explains how our team have campaigned towards securing our vision for a democracy fit for the...

Posted 28 Nov 2023

Annual Report: How we are working behind the scenes