Mixed-Member Proportional Representation Explained

Summary

The Queen Lion seeks to enhance democracy in her kingdom by addressing dissatisfaction with the voting system. The island's election, using First Past the Post, results in Tuatara winning all seats despite only receiving 49% of the vote. Kiwi proposes the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system, doubling council seats and allowing two votes per citizen—one for a local representative and another for a favorite party. This ensures a more balanced council reflecting citizens' preferences, addressing underrepresentation and fostering political diversity.

Takeaways

• 👑 The Queen Lion is seeking to improve democracy in her kingdom.
• 🗳️ Citizens were allowed to elect representatives through a First Past the Post system, leading to dissatisfaction.
• 📊 The election results showed Tuatara with 49%, Kea with 48%, and Kakapo with 3% of the votes.
• 🏆 Despite having fewer votes, Tuatara won all seats due to the First Past the Post system.
• 🤔 Citizens are unhappy because the majority who voted for other parties have no representation.
• 💡 Kiwi proposes the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system to Queen Lion.
• 🔄 MMP involves doubling the council seats and allowing citizens to cast two votes.
• 🏛️ The first vote is for a local representative, and the second vote is for a favorite political party.
• 📈 The second votes are tallied to balance the council's representation with the actual voter preferences.
• 📋 Political parties create a list of candidates for the extra seats, which are filled based on party support.
• 🌐 MMP reduces the impact of gerrymandering and prevents minority rule by minimizing wasted votes.
• 🌈 It encourages political diversity by allowing citizens to vote for smaller parties without losing influence.

Q & A

What is the main issue with the current voting system in the animal kingdom?

The main issue is that the current First Past the Post system results in a lack of representation for the majority of citizens who did not vote for the winning party, leading to dissatisfaction.

What is the percentage of votes received by each party in the election?

Tuatara gets 49%, Kea gets 48%, and Kakapo gets 3% of the votes.

Why are citizens unhappy with the election results?

Citizens are unhappy because despite Tuatara winning by a slim margin, they get 100% of the seats, leaving 51% of voters without representation.

What is the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system proposed by Kiwi?

MMP is a system where the number of council seats is doubled and each citizen gets two votes: one for a local representative and one for their favorite political party.

How does the second vote in the MMP system help balance representation?

The second vote is used to tally support for each party and additional members are added to the council to make it proportional to the overall vote, ensuring fair representation.

Who decides which party members get the extra seats in the MMP system?

Political parties decide by making a list of their favorite candidates in the order they want them to get on the council before the election.

What are some potential disadvantages of the MMP system?

One potential disadvantage is that it may give party leaders greater control over their members by rewarding or punishing them through their placement on the party list.

How does the MMP system eliminate Gerrymandering?

MMP reduces the impact of Gerrymandering by ensuring that fewer votes are wasted and that representation on the council is more closely aligned with the actual preferences of the citizens.

What is the strategic voting behavior of Kakapo voters in the local elections?

Kakapo voters, knowing their candidate has little chance of winning, may strategically vote for Kea in local elections to increase the likelihood of having a more tolerable representative.

How does the MMP system encourage political diversity?

MMP allows citizens to vote for smaller parties they like without worrying about the strategic implications of their vote, as every vote contributes to the party's overall representation.

What is the final decision made by Queen Lion regarding the voting system?

Queen Lion decides to switch her kingdom to the MMP system to ensure the Jungle Council is a true reflection of her citizens' preferences.