Binomial voting system
The binomial electoral system was a variant of proportional representation in small constituencies . Two candidates were elected per constituency (two-person constituency) and not determined according to the nationwide ratio of votes. This electoral system was used in the parliamentary elections in Chile from 1989 to 2013 .
Procedure
According to the binomial electoral system, two candidates (hence the name bi-nomial) are distributed in each constituency based on the votes for the constituency lists of the parties and electoral connections within this constituency.
If the winning list receives more than twice as many votes as the second strongest list, its candidates are elected and receive the two seats. Otherwise, one candidate from the list with the most votes and one candidate from the list with the second most votes are elected as MPs in the constituency. The other parties and electoral associations get nothing - the votes cast for them have no influence on the distribution of seats in parliament. In this respect, the binomial system is similar to majority voting, although only one candidate is elected per constituency.
The candidates are freely selectable within the lists. The votes for the individual candidates on the list are added to the overall result of the list. If the list wins a seat, the list candidate with the most votes is elected; if it wins both seats, the two list candidates with the most votes are elected. In the latter case, a candidate from a defeated list may not be elected even though he received more votes than the second candidate from the winning list.
The binomial process favors a two-party system of moderate groupings modeled on the USA , but prevents the parliamentary representation of small parties unless they enter into an alliance with larger parties.
See also
literature
- Ena von Baer : Sistema Binomial: Consensos y disensos (PDF; 247 kB) , in: Reforma al Sistema Binomial chileno. PNUD, Santiago de Chile 2006. pp. 177-206.