Practice question · Put in order
Arrange these steps in analysing an electoral system's effects, in order.
- Identify the district magnitude
- Compare vote shares with seat shares
- Compute the effective threshold that magnitude alone imposes
- Identify the formula and any legal threshold
- Compute the disproportionality index
Hints
- Start with the component that dominates the outcome.
- The effective threshold follows from magnitude, so it comes after it.
Show the answer
- Identify the district magnitude
- Identify the formula and any legal threshold
- Compute the effective threshold that magnitude alone imposes
- Compare vote shares with seat shares
- Compute the disproportionality index
Why
Beginning with magnitude rather than the formula is the habit worth building. The effective threshold imposed by a three-seat district is far above any legal threshold a country is likely to write down, so an analysis that starts with the legal rules will systematically misread the system.
Practise Electoral Systems
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