Types of electoral systems and their features. Types of electoral systems
Electoral systems have gone through a long evolutionary path. As a result of almost three centuries of development, representative democracy has developed two main forms of citizen participation in the formation of state authorities and local self-government: majoritarian and proportional electoral systems.
On their basis, in modern conditions, mixed forms are also used.. Considering these systems, we pay special attention to the fact that they differ not so much in formal aspects as in political goals achieved when using these electoral systems.
· Majoritarian electoral system characterized by the fact that a candidate (or a list of candidates) who receives the majority of votes provided for by law is considered elected to one or another elective body.
Most are different . There are electoral systems requiring absolute majorities (it's 50% + 1 vote or more). Such an electoral system exists, for example, in Australia.
Majoritarian system of relative majority means that the one who gets more votes than each of his rivals wins the election .
Majoritarian electoral system is called "first-comer-to-finish system". They also talk about her "winner takes all".
Currently such a system operates in four countries - USA, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand .
Sometimes both varieties of the majority system are used simultaneously.. For example, in France, in the elections of deputies of parliament in the first round of voting, an absolute majority system is used, and in the second - a relative one.
Under a majoritarian system, as a rule, direct ties between a candidate (hereinafter a deputy) and voters arise and become stronger. .
Candidates are well aware of the state of affairs in their constituencies, the interests of voters, and are personally acquainted with their most active representatives. Accordingly, the voters have an idea of who they trust to express their interests in government.
It's obvious that Under a majoritarian system, representatives of a stronger political current in the country win elections. In turn, this contributes to the ousting of representatives of small and medium-sized parties from parliament and other government bodies.
The majority system contributes to the emergence and strengthening of the tendency to become in the countries where it is used, two or three party systems .
· proportional electoral system means that mandates are distributed strictly in proportion to the number of votes cast.
This system is more widespread in the modern world than the majority system.. In Latin America, for example, elections are held only by proportional system .
When using a proportional electoral system, the goal is to ensure broad and proportional representation of political parties, as well as social and national groups in government bodies. .
This system contributes to the development of a multi-party system . She used in Australia, Belgium, Sweden, Israel and many other countries.
Like the majority proportional system has varieties . There are two types of it:
· proportional electoral system at the national level. In this case, voters vote for political parties throughout the country. Constituencies are not allocated;
· proportional electoral system based on multi-member constituencies. In this case deputy mandates are distributed on the basis of the influence of political parties in constituencies.
Majoritarian and proportional electoral systems have their advantages and disadvantages. . Let's dwell on them in more detail.
To the number positive properties of the majoritarian electoral system refers to what is in it opportunities for the formation of an effective and stable government have been laid.
The fact is that it allows large, well-organized political parties to easily win elections and establish one-party governments .
Practice shows that the authorities created on this basis are stable and capable of pursuing a firm state policy . The examples of the USA, England and other countries testify to this quite convincingly.
However The majority system has a number of significant shortcomings. Under a majoritarian system, only the fact that a candidate receives a majority of votes matters for the distribution of parliamentary mandates. The votes given to all other candidates are not taken into account and in this sense disappear..
Interested forces can, under a majoritarian system, manipulate the will of voters . In particular, Significant opportunities lie in the "geography" of constituencies .
As experience shows, the rural population votes more traditionally than the urban population. Interested political forces take this circumstance into account when forming constituencies . As many as possible electoral districts with a predominance of the rural population are allocated.
Thus, The shortcomings of the majoritarian electoral system are very significant. The main one is that a significant part of the country's voters (sometimes up to 50%) remains unrepresented in government.
The advantages of a proportional electoral system include the fact that the bodies of power formed with its help present a real picture of the political life of society, the alignment of political forces.
She provides a feedback system between the state and civil society organizations , ultimately contributes to the development of political pluralism and multi-party system.
However the system under consideration has very significant shortcomings. . (Example Italy using this system: 52 governments have changed since 1945 ).
The main disadvantages of this system can be reduced to the following.
Firstly , with a proportional electoral system, it is difficult to form a government . Reasons: lack of a dominant party with a clear and firm program; creation of multi-party coalitions, including parties with different goals and objectives. Governments established on this basis are unstable.
Secondly , the proportional electoral system leads to the fact that political forces that do not enjoy support throughout the country receive representation in government bodies.
Third , under a proportional electoral system due to the fact that voting is carried out not for specific candidates, but for parties, direct communication between deputies and voters is very weak.
Fourth,since under this system voting goes for political parties, this circumstance contributes to the dependence of deputies on these parties. Such a lack of freedom of parliamentarians can adversely affect the process of discussing and adopting important documents.
The disadvantages of the proportional system are obvious and significant. Therefore, there are numerous attempts to eliminate or at least mitigate them. This left a visible imprint on the proportional electoral systems themselves..
World practice shows that if the majority systems are relatively the same, then all proportional systems are different .
The proportional system of each country has its own specifics, which depend on its historical experience, the established political system and other circumstances..
Although all proportional systems have as their goal the achievement of proportional representation, this goal is realized to a different extent.
According to this criterion There are three types of proportional electoral systems.
1. Systems that fully implement the principle of proportionalism;
2. Electoral systems with insufficient proportionalism;
3. Systems that, although they achieve proportionality between the votes cast and the mandates received, however, provide for various protective barriers to the penetration of representatives of certain political forces into parliament.
An example is the electoral system of Germany. Here, candidates from political parties that do not win 5% of the votes throughout the country do not get into parliament. Such a "selection meter" is used in a number of other states.
As already emphasized, electoral systems have come a long way in their development. During this process (in the post-war period) the formation of a mixed electoral system began, that is, a system that should incorporate the positive characteristics of both the majoritarian and proportional electoral systems.
The essence of the mixed electoral system is that a certain part of the deputy mandates is distributed in accordance with the principles of the majoritarian system. It contributes to the formation of sustainable government .
In a broad sense, the electoral system is understood as a set of social relations that develop regarding the formation of state authorities and local self-government through the implementation of citizens' electoral rights. With this approach, the electoral system includes the principles and conditions for the participation of citizens in elections, the procedure for their appointment, preparation and conduct, the range of subjects of the electoral process, the rules for establishing voting results and determining election results. The electoral system in a broad sense, in essence, is identified with the election campaign, which is the activity for preparing elections, carried out in the period from the day of the official publication of the decision to call elections until the day the commission organizing the elections submits a report on the expenditure of budgetary funds allocated for them. For this reason, the use of the concept of an electoral system in a broad sense is hardly justified.
A narrow understanding of the electoral system is associated, as a rule, with the methods (techniques) of establishing the voting results and determining the winner in the elections and is considered as a kind of legal formula by which the results of the election campaign are determined at the final stage of the elections. So, in accordance with Art. 23 of the Federal Law “On the General Principles of Organizing Local Self-Government in the Russian Federation”, the electoral system in municipal elections means the conditions for recognizing a candidate (candidates) as elected (elected), lists of candidates - admitted to the distribution of deputy mandates, as well as the procedure for distributing deputy mandates between lists candidates and within the lists of candidates. At the same time, we should not forget that the rules for tabulating the results of voting depend, in addition to the methods for determining the result, on a number of electoral actions that have a direct impact on the decision to elect a particular candidate. Based on this, in a legal sense, it is preferable to link a narrow understanding of the electoral system with a set of norms that fix the rules:
formation of constituencies;
nomination of candidates (lists of candidates);
determining the role of political parties (electoral associations) in elections;
approval of the form of the ballot;
determination of election results and determination of winners, including the distribution of deputy mandates among political parties (electoral associations);
conducting, if necessary, a repeat voting (second round of elections);
filling vacant seats.
Types of electoral systems
In their totality, they give the most complete picture of the elements that form the electoral system, the various combinations and content of which determine the selection of different types of electoral systems.
In the history of the development of electoral legislation, many approaches to the design of electoral systems have been formed. At the same time, the choice of one or another type of electoral system is one of the key issues in the political life of the country, the solution of which is significantly influenced by the state of democratic development and the balance of political forces. It is no coincidence that the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation came to this conclusion. In the ruling dated November 20, 1995 on the refusal to accept for consideration the request of a group of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the request of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to verify the constitutionality of a number of provisions of the Federal Law of June 21, 1995 "On the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation » The Court emphasized that the choice of one or another version of the electoral system and its fixing in the electoral law depends on specific socio-political conditions and is a matter of political expediency. In Russian conditions, this choice is made by the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation in accordance with the rules of legislative procedure. This circumstance, however, does not mean at all that the issue of the electoral system is purely political and lacks legal meaning. The legal significance of the electoral system consists in the proper legislative consolidation of the entire set of rules governing relations related to the determination of election results and forming the legal design of the electoral system, including the consolidation of its various types.
The current legislation on elections provides for the possibility of using the following types of electoral systems: majoritarian, proportional and mixed (majority-proportional) electoral system.
Majoritarian electoral system
The essence of the majoritarian system is the division of the territory where elections are held into constituencies in which voters vote personally for certain candidates. To be elected, a candidate (candidates, if the elections are held in multi-member constituencies) must receive a majority of the votes of the voters who took part in the voting. From a legal point of view, the majoritarian electoral system is distinguished by its universality of application, which allows it to be used for the election of both collegial bodies and individual officials. The right to nominate candidates under this electoral system is vested both in citizens by way of self-nomination and in political parties (electoral associations). In the event of the formation of vacant mandates, due, among other things, to the early termination of the powers of deputies (elected officials), it is mandatory to hold new (additional, early or repeated) elections.
The majority electoral system has varieties. Depending on the electoral districts formed, majoritarian electoral systems are distinguished, which involve voting in a single electoral district, single-seat and multi-seat electoral districts. The majority system based on a single constituency is used only in the election of officials. When deputies of legislative (representative) bodies of state power, representative bodies of municipalities are elected, either single-member or multi-member constituencies are used. Moreover, the maximum number of mandates per one multi-member constituency cannot exceed five. At the same time, this restriction does not apply to elections to local self-government bodies of a rural settlement, as well as another municipality, the boundaries of a multi-member constituency of which coincide with the boundaries of a polling station.
There are majoritarian systems of relative, absolute and qualified majority. The relative majority system assumes that in order to be elected, it is required to get the largest number of votes of voters in relation to other candidates. It can be used in the elections of deputies of legislative (representative) bodies of state power, representative bodies of municipalities, as well as in the elections of heads of municipalities.
Under an absolute majority system, to elect a candidate, it is necessary that he receives more than half of the votes of the number of voters who took part in the voting. If none of the candidates manages to gain such a number of votes, a second ballot is held for the two candidates for whom the largest number of votes were cast in the first round of elections. To win in the second round using such a system, it is enough to gain a relative majority of votes. The absolute majority system is used in the elections of the President of the Russian Federation, and also, if it is provided for by the law of the subject of the Federation, in the elections of heads of municipalities. In principle, one cannot exclude its use in the elections of deputies of legislative (representative) bodies of state power, representative bodies of municipalities, but such cases are unknown to the current electoral legislation.
The system of qualified majority is quite rare. It is based on the fact that in order to win elections, it is necessary not only to get one or another majority of votes, but a majority fixed in the law (at least 1/3, 2/3, 3/4) of the number of voters who voted. At present, it is practically not used, although earlier cases of its use took place in some subjects of the Federation. Thus, the now repealed Law of Primorsky Territory of September 28, 1999 "On the election of the Governor of Primorsky Territory" provided that the candidate who received the largest number of votes was recognized as elected based on the results of voting, provided that it was at least 35% of the number of voters who took part in the vote.
proportional electoral system
The proportional electoral system is characterized by the following features. Its application is limited to elections of deputies of legislative (representative) bodies; it does not apply to the election of officials. Only political parties (electoral associations) have the right to nominate candidates. Under such a system, voters do not vote personally for candidates, but for lists of candidates (party lists) put forward by electoral associations, and lists of candidates who have overcome the barrier, i.e., who have received the minimum required number of votes established by law, which is not may exceed 1% of the number of voters who took part in the voting. The resulting vacancies will be filled by the following candidates from the lists of candidates (party lists) admitted to the distribution of mandates, as a result of which no by-elections are foreseen.
Russian legislation knows two types of proportional electoral system, due to the use of closed (hard) or open (soft) lists of candidates. When voting by closed lists, a voter has the right to vote only for one or another list of candidates as a whole. Open lists allow a voter to vote not only for a specific list of candidates, but also for one or more candidates within that list. In our country, a clear preference is given to closed lists. Open list voting is provided only in a few subjects of the Federation (Republic of Kalmykia, Tver Region, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug).
The proportional electoral system is used in the elections of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. It is rare in the subjects of the Federation in its pure form (Dagestan, Ingushetia, Amur Region, Sverdlovsk Region, St. Petersburg). As for municipal elections, the proportional electoral system is generally uncharacteristic for them. A rare exception in this regard is the city of Spass k-Dalniy of Primorsky Krai, whose charter provides for the election of all deputies of the city district on party lists.
Mixed electoral system
A mixed (majority-proportional) electoral system is a combination of majoritarian and proportional systems with a statutory number of deputy mandates distributed over each of them. Its application allows you to combine the advantages and smooth out the shortcomings of the majority and proportional systems. At the same time, political parties (electoral associations) are given the opportunity to nominate the same persons as candidates both on the party list and in single-mandate (multi-mandate) constituencies. The law only requires that in case of simultaneous nomination in a single-mandate (multi-mandate) constituency and in the list of candidates, information about this must be indicated in the ballot prepared for voting in the corresponding single-mandate (multi-mandate) constituency.
The mixed system is currently used in the elections of legislative (representative) bodies of state power in almost all subjects of the Federation. This is due to the fact that the Federal Law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in a Referendum of Citizens of the Russian Federation” (Article 35) requires that at least half of the deputy mandates in the legislative (representative) body of state power of a subject of the Federation or in one of its chambers were to be distributed among the lists of candidates put forward by electoral associations in proportion to the number of votes received by each of the lists of candidates.
When holding elections of deputies of representative bodies of municipalities, the mixed majority-proportional system is used much less frequently. In all likelihood, this is due to the fact that federal legislation does not require the mandatory use of elements of the proportional system in relation to the municipal level of the formation of representative bodies of power.
Issues related to the jurisdiction of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.
The jurisdiction of the State Duma includes the following issues:
1. Consent to the President of Russia for the appointment of the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation;
2. resolving the issue of confidence in the Government of the Russian Federation;
3. appointment and dismissal of the Chairman of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the Chairman of the Accounts Chamber and half of its auditors, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Russian Federation (acts on the basis of federal constitutional law);
4. announcement of amnesty;
5. bringing charges against the President of Russia to remove him from office.
The State Duma adopts resolutions on issues referred to its jurisdiction by the Constitution of Russia. Resolutions are adopted by a majority vote of the total number of deputies, unless a different procedure for adoption is provided for by the Constitution of Russia.
Any democratic state is characterized by fair elections and referendums. Elections are held regularly in the Russian Federation. What kind of...
The electoral system of the Russian Federation: concept, types and types, principles of the electoral process
By Masterweb
23.05.2018 00:01Any democratic state is characterized by the presence of fair elections and referendums. Elections in the Russian Federation are held regularly. How are they organized, what does the legislation on the electoral system in the Russian Federation say? Let's try to understand our material.
Elections in a Democratic State
The system of organization of the electoral process is a necessary element in the implementation of democracy. This is the basic principle of Russian statehood. The Russian Constitution contains fundamental principles relating to the formation and implementation of elections. The provisions have the highest legal force, direct effect and a built-in implementation procedure throughout the country.
The constitutional and legal scheme of the relationship between the institution of elections and democracy as a political form of power formation is designated in the country's basic law. Fundamental is the characteristic of such institutions as referendum and elections. These are the highest means of expressing the power of the people. It is these two instruments that make up the electoral system in the Russian Federation.
The constitutional foundations for the development of political democracy include the supremacy of the main normative act - the Constitution, federal laws and legislation of the regions of the country. The unity of the structure of state power, the delimitation of duties, powers and subjects of jurisdiction between the central and subject bodies is ensured.
To understand how the electoral system in the Russian Federation is organized, one should refer to Article 32 of the Russian Constitution. It says that the opportunity to be elected and be elected to state authorities and local self-government bodies is the subjective right of citizens of the Russian Federation. The right to choose is called active, and the right to be elected - passive. Based on these two possibilities, the system of suffrage in the Russian Federation is being formed.
The value of elections
What is the significance of the electoral institution in the Russian Federation? The implementation of the basic principles of the electoral system, as already mentioned, is a fundamental criterion for maintaining democracy in the country.
At the present stage, the problem of the transition of political institutions remains. The old institutions still retain their influence on the development and adoption of strategic decisions, and the new bodies do not yet have the necessary qualities to adequately influence the policy of future development and its regulation.
Thus, two opposite tendencies remain in the system under consideration: restoration and modernization. They represent the accompanying technologies of social management: authoritarianism and democracy. This manifests itself in permanent institutional conflicts and crises. The resolution of the latter is permissible only by reaching an agreement between the leading socio-political groups and forces. This, in turn, implies the presence of a mechanism for coordinating positions and interests. The fundamental instrument here is elections - the electoral system in the Russian Federation.
Elections are the most important institution for the organization and implementation of public power in modern political societies. They form a new problem area and a separate area of professional activity.
System principles
The electoral law and the electoral system in the Russian Federation are based on a number of important principles. The first and basic principle has already been discussed above - this is democracy. In any democratic state, the priority task is to respect the rights and freedoms of man and citizen. Suffrage as a system of legal institutions aims to protect social interests.
Another principle is related to humanity. In fact, any legal system is humanistic in nature, as it is aimed at protecting public rights and freedoms.
So, the three general principles of the electoral system in the Russian Federation are closely related to each other: democracy has a humanistic character, as a result of which the protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens is ensured in the country.
The next group of principles is called special. Here it is necessary to highlight the universality of the suffrage, as well as its direct and equal character for all. The secrecy of the vote must be ensured, as well as the voluntariness of participation in the electoral process. At the same time, state authorities should remember about the obligation to organize elections, their frequency, the independence of election commissions, as well as transparency and openness in the counting of votes.
Types of electoral systems in the Russian Federation
What is an electoral system? This is a set of social relations that are associated with the election of public authorities. The scope of such relations is quite voluminous, and therefore it is customary to divide it into several forms.
The first option is called the majoritarian electoral system. In Russia, this is the majority system. The person for whom the largest number of votes was cast is considered elected. Votes that were cast for other candidates disappear. This system is considered the only possible one when one official is elected. The use of such a system for elections of a collegiate authority, say, the House of Parliament, entails the formation of single-mandate constituencies. It turns out that only one official should be elected in each district.
There are two types of majority system: absolute and relative. Under an absolute system, a candidate must get 50 percent and one more vote. In the relative form of the majority system, the candidate wins a simple majority of votes.
The second version of the electoral system is called proportional. The main idea is to obtain in parliament the number of mandates that is proportional to the number of votes cast for its candidates in the electoral process. The main disadvantage of such a system is its complexity. However, the proportional form is fairly fair. The voter determines his political preferences within the list of candidates.
The third option is called mixed or semi-proportional. Here, the two systems described above are combined. On the requirement of a majority vote for the implementation of the electoral process, some opportunities are given for the representation of a minority of voters. The limited vote rule is used, according to which the voter does not vote for a number of candidates equal to the number of deputies to be elected, but for a much smaller number.
Sources of Russian suffrage
Having dealt with the main types of electoral systems in the Russian Federation, attention should be paid to the legislative framework, thanks to which the entire structure under consideration functions.
The main normative source of the electoral branch of law is, of course, the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Its article 32, which regulates the electoral process in the Russian state, has already been mentioned above.
Article 15 of the main law of the country refers to the priority of international norms over domestic provisions. This refers to the need to comply with international treaties. In the field of electoral law, this is, for example, the International Covenant on Political Civil Rights of 1966. Here we should highlight the decisions of the Court of Human Rights, the UN conventions and much more.
In the domestic system of sources, in addition to the Russian Constitution, one should single out the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights", the Federal Law "On Presidential Elections", the Federal Law "On Elections to the State Duma" and a number of other normative acts.
federal electoral system
Elections of deputies to the lower house of parliament, the State Duma, are an excellent example of the work of federal electoral law and the electoral system in the Russian Federation. Historically, it was elections to a representative body that to a large extent determined the direction of development of the entire system of Russian electoral legislation.
The second important element in the work of the central electoral system is the election of the Russian head of state - the president. This official is appointed every six years by direct expression of the civil will.
Both phenomena are regulated by the relevant regulatory framework. First, it is the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which determines the main directions of the national electoral system. Secondly, these are the federal laws "On Presidential Elections" and "On Elections of State Duma Deputies."
Elections to the State Duma
The concept of the electoral system in the Russian Federation can be viewed through the prism of the procedure for the formation of the lower house of parliament - the State Duma. This is a process of universal, secret and direct voting on the appointment of 450 deputies with official powers. This procedure is carried out every 5 years.
In accordance with the current legislation, half of the 450 mandates are distributed among political party lists that received at least 5% of the votes as a result of the election. The second half includes deputies - winners of elections in single-mandate constituencies.
According to the Federal Law "On Elections of Deputies to the State Duma", deputies are vested with powers in the federal electoral district in proportion to the number of votes cast for the federal lists of candidates. Elections of each new convocation are initiated by the head of state. The decision to start the electoral process must be made no earlier than 110 days and no later than three months before the start of the electoral process.
Voting Day is the first Sunday of the month in which the constitutional term of office of the lower parliamentary chamber expires. The list of candidates is formed by including candidates in the federal list of candidates. Each political party is able to nominate only one list.
Problems of elections to the State Duma
The Russian Federation is a relatively young state. It appeared in 1991, and its main law, the Constitution, did not see the light of day until 1993. Because of this, the existing electoral system, as well as the political system, cannot be called perfect. The problems of the system become especially noticeable when analyzing the procedure for elections to the Russian State Duma.
At the stage of preparing and licensing the list of candidates, the authorities of electoral associations and blocs often leave aside the opinion of regional structures. As a result, ordinary voters are deprived of control over the most important stage of the electoral process. There are frequent cases when party leaders included in the lists of anyone who is ready to help the company - including financially. This is an obvious problem with the existing electoral system, since the efficiency of the political structure is noticeably reduced. Even the statutory rules for nominating candidates do not help.
To solve the problem, legislators should think about which electoral system in the Russian Federation will be more effective. Replacing the existing mixed electoral system with a majoritarian form of deputies is a radical measure, but the practice of other countries shows its quality.
The second option for optimizing the system involves maintaining a semi-proportional form of the electoral process, but reducing the number of deputies to 150 people. According to some experts, this will make it possible to maintain a positive influence on the development of a multi-party system, and at the same time limit to reasonable limits the influence of political societies on the procedure for forming the State Duma.
Election of the head of state
The electoral system of the President of the Russian Federation has a number of specific features that should be discussed. According to the Federal Law on presidential elections in the Russian Federation, the head of state must have the citizenship of the country in which he intends to exercise passive suffrage. He must be at least 35 years old, and the period of his permanent residence on Russian territory must be at least 10 years. The same person cannot hold the presidency for more than two consecutive terms.
The Russian president is vested with official powers for a period of six years. The electoral system for the presidential elections in the Russian Federation is built on the basis of the principles of equality of votes, secrecy and direct voting.
Elections are carried out in a single federal electoral district, which includes the entire Russian territory. The highest chamber of the Parliament, the Federation Council, appoints the vote. The decision to hold an elective vote must be made no earlier than 100 days and no later than three months before the day the president is elected.
Regional elections
The system of electoral bodies of the Russian Federation in the constituent entities operates somewhat differently than at the federal level. The initial principles for the formation of regional power structures are regulated in the Constitution. Thus, Article 77 of the country's basic law states that the regions have the opportunity to independently determine the legal status, the procedure for electing and the structure of their representative bodies.
According to the Federal Law "On Basic Guarantees of Citizens' Electoral Rights", Russian regions require strict observance of democratic norms and principles. The inadmissibility of restricting civil voting rights depending on gender, ethnic group, nationality, worldview, language, origin, existing property, attitude to religion, etc. should be emphasized.
The voting procedure in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation differs little from the federal one. All the same rules and principles are implemented as in the formation of the central legislative system, or when the president is vested with official powers.
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In Russian legal and scientific literature, two different concepts of the electoral system are used. Two terms are used to distinguish them: "electoral system in the broad sense" and "electoral system in the narrow sense".
The concept of the electoral system
- a set of legal norms that form the electoral right. Suffrage is a set of legal norms governing the participation of citizens in elections. Unlike many foreign constitutions, the Constitution of the Russian Federation does not contain a special chapter on the right to vote.
-a set of legal norms that determine the results of voting. Based on these legal norms, the following are determined: the type of constituencies, the form and content of the ballot, etc.
Depending on what type of electoral system (in the narrow sense) will be used in a particular election, the results for the same voting results may be different.
Types of electoral systems
The types of electoral systems are determined by the principles for the formation of a representative body of power and the procedure for distributing mandates based on the results of voting. In fact, there are as many types of electoral systems in the world as there are countries that form governments through elections. But over the centuries-old history of elections, basic types of electoral systems have been created, on the basis of which elections are held all over the world.
- (French majorité - majority) electoral system. Under the majoritarian electoral system, the candidate with the most votes is considered elected.
There are three types of majority system:
- absolute majority - the candidate must gain 50% + 1 vote;
- Relative majority - the candidate needs to get the largest number of votes. Moreover, this number of votes may be less than 50% of all votes;
- Qualified Majority – The candidate must obtain a predetermined majority of votes. Such an established majority is always more than 50% of all votes - 2/3 or 3/4.
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- Mixed electoral system.
An electoral system in which part of the mandates to a representative body of power is distributed according to the majority system, and part according to the proportional system. That is, two electoral systems are used in parallel.
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This is a system of formation of elected authorities through party representation. Political parties and/or political movements put forward lists of their candidates. The voter votes for one of these lists. The mandates are distributed in proportion to the votes received by each party.
It is a synthesis of majoritarian and proportional electoral systems. Candidates are nominated according to the proportional system (according to party lists), and voting is carried out according to the majority system (personally for each candidate).
Electoral system of the Russian Federation
The electoral system in Russia includes several main types of electoral systems.
The electoral system of the Russian Federation is described by the following federal laws:
- No. 19-FZ "On the Election of the President of the Russian Federation"
- No. 51-FZ "On the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation"
- No. 67-FZ "On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right to Participate in a Referendum of Citizens of the Russian Federation"
- No. 138-FZ "On ensuring the constitutional rights of citizens of the Russian Federation to elect and be elected to local governments"
- No. 184-FZ "On the general principles of the organization of legislative (representative) and executive bodies of state power of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation"
Prior to the adoption of the relevant law in 2002, at the regional elections of senior officials in some subjects of the Russian Federation, varieties of the majority system were used that did not belong either to the system of absolute or to the system of relative majority. A candidate was required to receive a relative majority of votes, but not less than 25% of the number of citizens included in the voter lists, and in some subjects of the Russian Federation - not less than 25% of the number of voters who took part in the vote. Now all regional elections are held according to the same principles for all.
When electing senior officials (president, governor, mayor), the majoritarian electoral system of absolute majority is used. If none of the candidates has won an absolute majority of votes, a second round is scheduled, where two candidates who have received a relative majority of votes go through.
In elections to the representative body of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation, a mixed electoral system is used. In elections to the representative body of the municipality, it is possible to use both a mixed electoral system and a majoritarian system of a relative majority.
From 2007 to 2011, elections to the State Duma were held according to the proportional system. From 2016, half of the deputies (225) of the State Duma of the Russian Federation will be elected in single-member constituencies under the majoritarian system, and the second half - in a single constituency under the proportional system with a percentage threshold of 5%
The electoral system of the Russian Federation does not currently provide for the use of a hybrid electoral system. Also, the electoral system in Russia does not use the majoritarian electoral system of a qualified majority.
Suffrage regulates the electoral system. In a broad sense, the electoral system is a set of social relations that develop in connection with the preparation and conduct of elections. Under the electoral system in the narrow sense, one should understand the procedure for preparing and conducting elections, characterized by a special way of determining the results of elections. In the latter sense, there are several varieties of electoral systems - majoritarian, proportional and mixed electoral systems, on the basis of which elections are held in the Russian Federation.
Under a majoritarian electoral system, the candidate who receives the majority of the votes is considered the winner of the election. There are majoritarian electoral systems of absolute, relative and qualified majority.
Under the majority system of an absolute majority, a candidate is considered elected if he receives in his support more than half of the votes of the voters who took part in the voting. If none of the candidates wins an absolute majority of votes, as a rule, a repeat voting of the second round is envisaged, in which the two candidates who received the largest number of votes in the first round take part. According to the majoritarian electoral system of an absolute majority with the possibility of repeat voting, the President of Russia is elected.
Under the majority system of a relative majority, the candidate who receives a simple majority of votes, that is, the largest number of votes among all candidates, his rivals, is considered elected. According to this system, a part of the deputies of the legislative (representative) bodies of state power of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and elected officials of local self-government are elected. Under the majoritarian electoral system of a qualified majority, a candidate who receives a qualified majority of votes, for example, 2/3 of the votes, is recognized as elected.
This electoral system is not found in the Russian Federation. Under a proportional electoral system, the distribution of elected positions (mandates) is made between the parties. Each party receives a number of seats proportional to the number of votes received by this party in the elections. Voters cast their votes not for specific candidates, but for lists of candidates nominated by parties.
When determining the results of elections of deputies of the State Duma under the proportional electoral system, at the first stage, the sum of the votes of voters cast for the lists of candidates who received 5% or more of the votes of voters who took part in the voting is calculated. This sum of votes is divided by 225, and, starting from the 2007 parliamentary elections, by 450, the number of deputy mandates, which are distributed according to the proportional electoral system.
The result obtained is the first electoral quotient, which is used in the process of distribution of deputy mandates between the lists of candidates. Thus, at this stage, lists of candidates who have not overcome the 5% electoral threshold (barrier point, percentage clause) are not allowed to distribute deputy mandates. After December 2003, the electoral barrier was raised to 7%.
Votes cast for such lists of candidates are not counted in the total votes and are therefore lost. At the second stage, the election results are determined by the method of electoral quota. The essence of the method is to establish the minimum number of votes that a party needs to gain in order to receive one mandate. According to the electoral quota method, the number of votes received by each list of candidates participating in the distribution of mandates is divided by the first electoral quotient. The integer part of the number obtained as a result of such a division is the number of deputy mandates, which goes to the corresponding list of candidates as a result of the initial distribution of deputy mandates. If there are undistributed deputy mandates, they are re-distributed.
At the third stage of the calculation, the rule of the largest remainder is used. Undistributed deputy mandates are transferred one by one to those lists of candidates who have the largest fractional part of the number obtained as a result of division made at the second stage. In case of equality of fractional parts, preference is given to the list of candidates for which more votes were cast.
At the fourth stage, the distribution of deputy mandates within each list of candidates is carried out. The list can include no more than 500 people and is divided into a federal part and regional groups.
An example of determining the results of elections for a proportional electoral system using the method of electoral quota:
It is necessary to distribute 20 deputy mandates between the party. A, which received 660 thousand votes in the elections, the party. Party B - 540 thousand, party C - 280 thousand, party D 210 thousand, party D - 165 thousand, party E - 145 thousand. All parties overcame the electoral barrier.
First stage:
660+540+280+210+165+145 = 2000: 20 = 100 selective quotient.
Second phase:
The consignment. A 660:100 = 6.60
The consignment. B 540: 100 = 5.40
The consignment. At 280: 100 = 2.80
Party G 210: 100 = 2.10
Party D 165: 100 = 1.65
Party E 145: 100 = 1.45
As a result of the initial distribution of deputy mandates, the party
A receives 6 mandates, the party. B 5, party. B 2, party G 2,
party D 1, party E 1. Out of 20, 3 mandates remain undistributed.
Third stage:
Party A 6.60+1
The consignment. B 5.40
The consignment. At 2.80+ 1
Party G 2.10
Party D 1.65 + 1
Party E 1.45
As a result of the secondary distribution of deputy mandates, the party
A receives 7 mandates, the party. B 5, party. B 3, party G 2,
batch D 2, batch E 1.
Fourth stage.
The deputy mandates received by the parties are distributed within
lists of candidates.
A mixed electoral system is a combination of majoritarian and proportional electoral systems in the conduct of elections of a government body. Currently, on the basis of a mixed electoral system, deputy mandates are replaced in most legislative (representative) bodies of state power of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The advantage of a mixed electoral system is the combination of majoritarian and proportional systems in the organization and conduct of elections.
The main disadvantage of the majoritarian electoral system is the "loss of votes" of voters. This is because the winning candidate, especially under a plurality system, only needs to win over a relatively small number of citizens, while the votes cast for other candidates or against all candidates are lost.
The "loss of votes" of voters is also characteristic of the proportional electoral system, but such a loss, as a rule, is not significant. The votes of voters submitted for the lists of candidates who did not overcome the electoral barrier are lost. According to the legal position of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, the electoral barrier prevents small parties that do not enjoy sufficient support from voters from entering the parliament. This avoids the fragmentation of the deputy corps into many small groups, the formation of which can lead to the absence of a percentage barrier.
The State Duma elections provide for the possibility of participating in the distribution of deputy mandates of federal lists of candidates who have not overcome the electoral threshold, which makes it possible to reduce the number of lost votes. The electoral barrier is lowered if the federal lists of candidates that have overcome it receive a total of 60% or less of the votes of voters who took part in the voting, and also if only one federal list of candidates overcome the electoral barrier, even if it received more than 60% of the votes of voters who took part in the voting. The main drawbacks of the proportional electoral system are the complexity of calculating the results of elections and a kind of depersonalization of candidates included in party lists. Citizens often do not know many of the candidates proposed by the party on the list. The majoritarian electoral system is devoid of these shortcomings. When used, voters are allowed to cast their votes for a specific candidate running in an electoral district.
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