Sounds simple, but probably isn't. Blind keeps advocating for it. I know nothing about it, so I thought I'd ask Mr. Google. What follows is his reply.
"What are proportional elections?
Proportional elections, also known as proportional representation (PR) systems, are electoral systems designed to ensure that the distribution of seats in a legislative body reflects the overall distribution of votes cast for different political parties. Unlike winner-take-all systems, where the candidate with the most votes in a single-member district wins the seat, PR systems aim to give all votes, regardless of political view, a chance at representation.
Here's a breakdown of how they work and their key features:
1. Goal
To create a representative body that mirrors the public's support for each party.
To minimize the disparity between a party's share of the national vote and its share of legislative seats.
To ensure minority groups have a measure of representation proportional to their electoral support.
2. Key characteristics
Multi-member districts: Instead of electing a single representative per district, PR systems use larger districts that elect several members at once.
Proportional seat allocation: The number of seats a party wins is determined by the proportion of votes it receives within a district or nationally. For example, if a party wins 30% of the vote in a 10-member district, it gets 3 seats.
3. How they differ from winner-take-all systems
Winner-take-all systems (like those used for many elections in the United States) are based on single-member districts where the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of the overall percentage of votes they receive. This can result in a party with less than a majority of the vote winning all the seats in a district, according to the American Bar Association.
Proportional representation ensures that parties earn seats in proportion to how many people vote for them.
4. Types of proportional representation systems
Several variations of PR systems exist, including:
Party-list PR: Voters cast ballots for a list of candidates from a particular party, and seats are allocated based on the percentage of votes each party receives.
Mixed-member proportional (MMP): Voters cast two votes – one for a local candidate (often in a single-member district) and one for a party list, says YouTube.
Single Transferable Vote (STV): Voters rank candidates in order of preference, and votes are reallocated to fill seats proportionally.
5. Benefits of proportional representation
Better representation: Ensures that minority groups and smaller parties have a voice in government.
Increased voter turnout: By making more votes count and representing a broader range of views, PR can boost voter engagement, says Protect Democracy.
Reduced wasted votes: Almost all votes contribute to the election outcome.
Reduced gerrymandering: Multi-member districts can make gerrymandering (manipulating electoral districts) more difficult, according to Wikipedia.
6. Criticisms of proportional representation
Potential for unstable coalition governments: PR can lead to legislatures with multiple parties, potentially resulting in coalition governments that might be less stable and more prone to disagreements, according to the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network.
Risk of party system fragmentation: PR can sometimes result in a large number of small parties, potentially making it harder to form stable governments, according to ACE.
In summary, proportional representation systems are designed to foster fairer representation in government by aligning seats won more closely with the share of votes received, particularly in multi-member districts. While offering benefits like better minority representation and higher voter turnout, they can also raise concerns about government stability and party fragmentation."