Unrepresentative electoral systems

Biased voting systems
Unjust voter registration procedure
Undemocratic voting systems

Nature

Unrepresentative electoral systems are voting mechanisms that fail to accurately reflect the preferences of the electorate in the composition of elected bodies. This problem often arises in systems such as first-past-the-post or majoritarian models, where the distribution of seats does not correspond proportionally to the votes received by parties or candidates. As a result, significant segments of the population may be underrepresented or excluded, leading to diminished political legitimacy, reduced voter engagement, and potential policy biases. Addressing unrepresentative electoral systems is crucial for ensuring fair, inclusive, and democratic governance.

Background

Concerns over unrepresentative electoral systems emerged prominently in the 19th and 20th centuries, as expanding suffrage and democratization revealed persistent disparities between votes cast and legislative outcomes. Landmark studies, such as those following the UK’s 1950 and 1974 general elections, highlighted systemic distortions. International organizations, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union, have since documented global patterns, prompting ongoing debates and reforms aimed at achieving fairer representation in diverse political contexts.

Incidence

In the 1980 New York Senate Election, a conservative receiving only 45% the vote won, not because the state wanted a conservative, but because of the 2 other candidates, both liberals, one received 44% of the vote and the other 11%. If there had been only 2 candidates, one conservative facing one liberal, it is highly likely (and supported by an ABC News survey of voters) that the liberal would have been sent to Washington.

Claim

The approval voting system often works against the majority-wanted candidate when more than 2 candidates are in a race. The voter aware of this contradiction comes to realize that casting a ballot for his first choice might mean throwing his vote away, so he comes to improvise a voting strategy chosen to minimize losses rather than to express his sincere choice.

Counter-claim

Concerns about "unrepresentative electoral systems" are vastly overblown. Most people are far more interested in everyday issues than in abstract debates about voting mechanics. Elections still produce clear winners and stable governments, which is what truly matters. Obsessing over perfect representation is a distraction from real problems. The current systems work well enough—calls for radical change are unnecessary and risk undermining the very stability and order that voters value most.