What’s the difference between open and closed list proportional representation?When discussing proportional voting systems, or voting systems in general, we usually talk about how they allocate seats to political parties. But parliaments are more than parties and it also matters how they decide which...Posted 15 Nov 2021
Which votes get transferred with the Single Transferable Vote?The first meetings of the Electoral Reform Society, then known as the Proportional Representation Society, quickly settled on the Single Transferable Vote (STV) as the best option for electoral reform.Posted 17 Aug 2021
Hare vs Droop: How to set the quota under STVThe first meetings of the Proportional Representation Society quickly attracted many leading lights of the Victorian age – including Lewis Carroll, CP Scott (editor of what is now The Guardian) and Thomas Hare (the inventor...Posted 10 Aug 2021
Conservative councillor: How the Single Transferable Vote broke open Scotland’s one-party fiefdoms"With STV, we are trying to steal a march on other parties, while at the same time cooperating for the public good."Posted 05 Aug 2021
What would the party system look like if the UK had proportional representation?By looking at the experiences of similar countries and the devolved governments, we can see which kinds of party system are most probable given the sorts of voting system that are most likely to be...Posted 09 Jun 2021
Boundary review? It’s time for an electoral system reviewBoundary Review day comes around faster every year it seems. The so-called Sixth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies is now on its third go at suggesting new boundaries. The electoral map has to be updated...Posted 09 Jun 2021
Elections 2021: Rotten boroughs are rife in England, as voters are hit by warped resultsWe’re already seeing a plethora of rotten results – with parties taking nearly all the seats on a fraction of the vote.Posted 07 May 2021
Local one party states are a gift for cronies and lobbyistsEngland is likely to see swathes of ‘one-party councils’ picked next week, under England and Wales’ one-party takes all local electoral system. Spread out over a whole council area, one party can get near 100%...Posted 30 Apr 2021
What if? Post-war elections under the Single Transferable VoteThe Single Transferable Vote (STV) is one of the most popular voting systems among electoral reformers in the UK – favoured for its supposed ability to produce broadly proportional outcomes while retaining fairly localised constituencies.Posted 28 Apr 2021
Bills are being proposed across the US to scrap First Past the PostElectoral reform is gaining momentum across the USA as an impressive number of state legislatures are considering reforming their local and statewide elections. So far, 30 bills to scrap First Past the Post and bring...Posted 05 Feb 2021