Diplomacy & Politics Glossary

The layout and format of a voting ballot, which can influence voter understanding and the accuracy of vote casting.

A secure container where voters can deposit completed mail-in or absentee ballots before election day to facilitate voting access and convenience.

Procedures and technologies implemented to prevent unauthorized access, tampering, or fraud in the voting process, ensuring election integrity and voter confidence.

The process by which countries within a bloc coordinate their positions and voting strategies to present a united front.

A voting style where judges award wins based on the strength of a single block of arguments rather than weighing all arguments individually.

An electoral system where voters select a party and the party determines the order of candidates elected from its list.

A proportional representation system where voters choose a party and the party determines the order of candidates elected.

A body of electors established by a constitution to formally elect a president, often based on state-level vote results.

A voting system combining elements of majoritarian and proportional representation methods to balance local representation with overall proportionality. Voters typically cast two votes: one for a candidate and one for a party list.

An electoral system combining single-member district plurality and proportional representation without compensatory seats.

Mixed-member proportional representation combines single-member district elections with party-list proportional representation to balance local and overall party representation.

A procedural motion to end debate on the current topic and proceed to voting on draft resolutions or amendments.

A procedural motion to split a draft resolution or clause into separate parts for individual voting.

An electoral system where voters can influence the order of candidates on a party's list by expressing preferences for individual candidates.

A proportional representation system where voters can influence the order of candidates on a party list.

A plenary session is a full assembly meeting where all members of a legislative body gather to debate and vote on issues.

An electoral system in which parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes they receive. It aims to reflect the diversity of voter preferences more accurately than winner-takes-all systems.

A direct vote by the electorate on a specific proposal or law.

A voting procedure where each delegate's vote is recorded individually by name or country.

An electoral district that elects one representative to a legislative body. This system is often associated with winner-takes-all elections and can lead to disproportional representation.

A vote on the main content of a draft resolution or amendment, as opposed to procedural matters.

An amendment proposed to a draft resolution without the original sponsors' consent, requiring a formal vote for adoption.