Electoral Systems
First-past-the-post, proportional, ranked choice, mixed — how votes become seats.
The way you count votes completely changes who wins. The same voters, casting the same preferences, can produce wildly different governments depending on the electoral system. This isn't a technicality — it's one of the most consequential design choices in any democracy.
First-Past-the-Post (FPTP)
Used in the US, UK, Canada, and India. Each district elects one winner — whoever gets the most votes, even without a majority. Simple, but brutal consequences:
- Two-party dominance — third parties are squeezed out (Duverger's Law)
- Wasted votes — in safe seats, millions of votes don't affect the outcome
- Manufactured majorities — a party can win 60% of seats with 40% of votes
In the 2019 UK election, the Conservatives won 56% of seats with just 43.6% of the vote. The Liberal Democrats won 1.7% of seats with 11.6% of the vote. Same election, radically different treatment.
Proportional Representation (PR)
Used in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, South Africa, and most of Europe. Seats are allocated roughly in proportion to vote share. 30% of the vote ≈ 30% of seats.
- Multi-party systems — coalition government is the norm
- Higher representation — fewer wasted votes
- Thresholds — most PR systems require 3-5% to enter parliament (Germany uses 5%)