1. PowerPoint Supplement Richard P. Farkas, DePaul University
POWER & CHOICE An Introduction to Political Science 14th Edition W. Phillips Shively, University of Minnesota
PowerPoint Supplement
Richard P. Farkas, DePaul University

2. Chapter 10
Elections

3. The appeal of elections
… ooze legitimacy
… invite respectability
… cause many to assume democracy
… illuminate “choice”
… demonstrate “participation”
… can serve non-democratic objectives

4. Elections & Inexperience
In new, transitional or failing states, elections suffer from problems of --
Weak or non-existent communication
capacities
Limited or non-existent government, party, or
candidate resources
Violence, ethnic conflict, illiteracy

5. Elections functions: select leaders / policies mobilize; build support
tough questions:
Is the outcome in doubt?
Are the choices significantly different?
Do the mechanics of the elections
reinforce or undermine the
citizens’ choices?

6. Types choosing leadership or policies
typical labels: “election” “referendum”
Electoral systems: SMDP vs. PR
mechanics, advantages, biases of each

7. Single-member-district plurality
SMDP: name provides detail …
Political system divided into districts
One winner in each district
Winner is the candidate with the largest number of votes
Upside: direct link – leader to constituency
Downside: lost voices of losers
Upside/downside: distribution of voters = crucial

8. Proportional Representation
PR: name provides detail …
a political system has x number of representatives to be elected.
all political parties create a composite list of their candidates (for all the seats)
if a political party gets ALL the votes, it gets all the seats
if it gets a percentage of the votes,
it gets that percentage of the seats

9. PR Upside: the pattern of votes cast by citizens is
reflected in the elected representatives; minorities have
a voice and all votes “count” wherever they may be
located
Downside: because names are taken from the
party lists (top to bottom order), folks in one place may
not perceive that they have a specific representative to
whom they can turn for service; party loyalty is
much more important in a PR system

10. Other dimensions … Referendum … more “democratic?”
more power, more choice?
more problems … ?
Participation … more “democratic?”

11. Electoral Participation
Who? logic? reasoning?
“paradox of voting”
no one who is sensible should vote
How much is “best?” comparing …
Bases for choices: long vs. short term
party, race, gender, age, region, language,
ethnicity, economic role, other

12. Examples Text: Israel Nigeria Others worth investigating: Bosnia Iraq
Mexico