The main types of electoral systems

In the literature, the term "electoral system" is described in two meanings. In a broad sense, this term means public relations directly related to elections and constituting their order. They are regulated by constitutional law, as well as by the norms established by public associations. An important role here is played by traditions and customs, norms of political ethics and morality.

Identify the basic principles of the electoral system: universality, freedom of participation in elections and equality of citizens in the process, mandatory vote, competitiveness, equal opportunities for all bidders, "transparency" of the conduct and preparatory work.

Accordingly, under the electoral system One can understand the mechanism by which state power and self-government are formed in the subjects of the Russian Federation. This process includes several main points: the system of bodies, fixed by lawmaking, directly entrusted with the authority to carry out activities and conduct an election campaign; As well as the activities of subjects of legal relations and political structures.

In the narrow sense of the word, this system is considered as a method, fixed in legal acts, which allows to establish the results of elections and to distribute deputy mandates. This process directly depends on the results of voting.

The main types of electoral systems are determined, first of all, by the principles of formation of Authority. In different states they are different. However, thanks to the centuries-old experience of representative democracy , two main types were identified: majority and proportional. These types of electoral systems, more precisely their elements, find themselves in other diverse models.

The majority system is based on personal representation in power. Therefore, a certain person is always nominated as a candidate for a position. However, the mechanism of nomination may be different: some types of electoral systems allow self-nomination of candidates, for example, from public associations, while others require candidates to run exclusively from political parties. However, with any alignment of forces in the majority district, the review takes place on a personal basis. Therefore, a capable, adult citizen, having come to the polls, will vote for a specific person as an independent unit of the described process.

As a rule, those types of electoral system, the basis of which is the majority, conduct elections in single-mandate constituencies. However, the number of such districts directly depends on the number of mandates. The winner is the participant of the campaign who received the largest number of votes of the district's voters.

Proportional system.

It is based on the principle of party representation. Accordingly, in this case they nominate lists of certain candidates for which they are invited to vote. The types of electoral systems, based on proportionality, are proposed to actually vote for a political party that defends the interests of certain strata. Mandates are subject to distribution in proportion to the number of votes cast (in percentages).

Places in the authority that the party received are occupied by people from the list put forward by it and in accordance with the priority set by it. Usually they are received by the first 90 candidates from the corresponding list.

Mixed system

Attempts to make the best use of the types of electoral systems described above led to the emergence of mixed systems. Their essence boils down to the fact that some of the deputies are elected by majority system, and some by proportional. Accordingly, the voter has the opportunity to vote both for the candidate and for the political party. This system was used in Russia when choosing deputies of the State Duma of the first four convocations.