Elections and voting
functions of elections/ why do we need elections
recruitment of politicians, making governments, providing representation, influencing policies
educating voters, building legitimacy
strengthening elites
compulsory vote?
YES:participation, legitimacy, civic duty, countering social disadvantage
NO:unfree, facade democracy, worthless votes
electoral systems
majoritarian
proportional
Second Ballot system
Alternative Vote System/ supplementary vote
First pass the post/ SIngle-member Pluralitty
UK /USA/ Canada etc; single-member constituencies, single candidate chosen, winner takes it all with plurality of votes
France etc.; single member constituencies; winning-overall majority first ballot, simple majority second ballot
Australia: ranking of popularity, single.member constituencies, needed 50+%, otherwise redistribution according to preference
Party-List system
Additional Member System
Germany, Italy, New Zealand etc Combination of FPTP and Party list -> two votes
Single-Transferable-Vote System
Northern Ireland multimember constituencies, preferential voting, candidates need to reach a certain quota
Israel, Belgium, Luxembourg etc electors vote for parties, not candidates, parties fill the seats they get according to party list
voting behaviour
short-term influences
personality and perception of party leaders
campaign
economic situation
mass media
theories of voting
Sociological Model
Rational-Choice Model
Party-Identification Model
Dominant Ideology model