AP Comparative Government and Politics / Unit 4: Party and Electoral Systems and Citizen Organizations
4.1 Electoral Systems and Rules
Notes
- First-past-the-post / single-member district (SMD): winner takes the seat (UK, Nigeria).
- Proportional representation (PR): seats match vote share.
- Mixed systems: some of each (Mexico, Russia).
Practice
In a first-past-the-post system, the winner needs:
Plurality wins.
Mexico's Chamber of Deputies uses:
Both methods.
Proportional representation tends to produce:
Small parties win seats.
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