Public Policy And Electoral Reform

Author : Gideon Doron,Michael Harris
Publisher : Lexington Books
Page : 156 pages
File Size : 40,6 Mb
Release : 2000
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 073910134X

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Public Policy and Electoral Reform by Gideon Doron,Michael Harris Pdf

Is the public really sure what they are voting for? Does a small policy change really mean what the voters have been told it means? Public Policy and Electoral Reform: The Case of Israel examines the effects electoral change and reform have on the making and implementation of public policy. The book brings into question the actual influence voters have over electoral outcomes by probing various scenarios. Using the case of Israel as an illustration, political scientists Gideon Doron and Michael Harris bring to the fore analysis that challenges the reader to consider the real potential of electoral reform. Doron and Harris place the Israeli reforms within a theoretical framework, using Israel as a testing ground for the theory. In Part One the authors describe the theoretical underpinnings of electoral systems and electoral change. Part Two presents the fascinating story of the Israeli case, with close analysis of the successes and failures of the reforms and their impact on public policy from 1996 through the election of Prime Minister Ehud Barak in 1999.

Author : Andrew Potter,Daniel Weinstock,Peter Loewen
Publisher : McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 2017-04-01
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780773550827

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Should We Change How We Vote? by Andrew Potter,Daniel Weinstock,Peter Loewen Pdf

During the 2015 federal election, the Liberal Party pledged that, if elected, they would end the “first past the post” electoral system, where whichever candidate receives the most votes wins a riding even if they have not received a majority of all votes cast. In early 2017, the Liberals reneged on their campaign promise, declaring that there was a lack of public consensus about how to reform the system. Despite the broken promise – and because of the public outcry – discussions about electoral reform will continue around the country. Challenging the idea that first past the post is obsolete, Should We Change How We Vote? urges Canadians to make sure they understand their electoral system before making drastic changes to it. The contributors to this volume assert that there is perhaps no institution more misunderstood and misrepresented than the Canadian electoral system – praised by some for ensuring broad regional representation in Ottawa, but criticized by others for allowing political parties with less than half the popular vote to assume more than half the seats in Parliament. They consider not only how the system works, but also its flaws and its advantages, and whether or not electoral reform is legitimate without a referendum. An essential guide to the crucial and ongoing debate about the country’s future, Should We Change How We Vote? asks if there are alternative reforms that would be easier to implement than a complete overhaul of the electoral system.

Author : Alan Renwick
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 327 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2010-02-04
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781139486774

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The Politics of Electoral Reform by Alan Renwick Pdf

Elections lie at the heart of democracy, and this book seeks to understand how the rules governing those elections are chosen. Drawing on both broad comparisons and detailed case studies, it focuses upon the electoral rules that govern what sorts of preferences voters can express and how votes translate into seats in a legislature. Through detailed examination of electoral reform politics in four countries (France, Italy, Japan, and New Zealand), Alan Renwick shows how major electoral system changes in established democracies occur through two contrasting types of reform process. Renwick rejects the simple view that electoral systems always straightforwardly reflect the interests of the politicians in power. Politicians' motivations are complex; politicians are sometimes unable to pursue reforms they want; occasionally, they are forced to accept reforms they oppose. The Politics of Electoral Reform shows how voters and reform activists can have real power over electoral reform.

Author : Law Commission of Canada
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 240 pages
File Size : 42,5 Mb
Release : 2004
Category : Political Science
ISBN : UCBK:C084904782

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Voting Counts by Law Commission of Canada Pdf

"Through the electoral process, citizens grant authority to their governments and to the laws governments enact. In recent years more and more Canadians have expressed their desire for improvements to our system of democratic governance, and to the mechanisms through which they can participate in government decision-making processes...This report aims to clarify the debates surrounding electoral reform: it reviews the arguments advanced to justify change, evaluates their relevance and cogency, and proposes a new model." -- p. vii.

Author : André Blais
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 239 pages
File Size : 45,9 Mb
Release : 2008-05-08
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780191561566

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To Keep or To Change First Past The Post? by André Blais Pdf

First past the post is one of the oldest and simplest electoral systems. The logic is simple: the candidate with the most votes wins. It is the system in place in some of the oldest democracies, most especially the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as the largest democracy, India. This is also a system that is hotly debated, and proposals for reform are often advanced. This book addresses the following questions: What fosters or hinders reform of first past the post? When and why does reform emerge on the political agenda? Who proposes and who opposes reform? When and why do reform proposals succeed or fail? What kind of proposal tends to be put on the table? Are some types of proposal more likely to succeed? Why? The first chapter undertakes a comparative analysis of the conditions under which reform is initiated. The following chapters investigate in detail the politics of electoral reform in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, the debates that take place, the proposals that are advanced, and the strategies deployed by the actors. These analyses contribute to a rich and nuanced understanding of why first past the post is often challenged and sometimes replaced.

Author : Shaun Bowler,Todd Donovan
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 176 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2013-03-28
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780199695409

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The Limits of Electoral Reform by Shaun Bowler,Todd Donovan Pdf

The Limits of Electoral Reform examines a variety of reforms, including campaign finance, direct democracy, legislative term limits, and changes to the electoral system itself. This study finds electoral reforms have limited, and in many cases, no effects. The findings here suggest there are hard limits to effects of electoral reform.

Author : Andrew Potter,Daniel M. Weinstock,Peter Loewen
Publisher : McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2017-04-01
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780773550834

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Should We Change How We Vote? by Andrew Potter,Daniel M. Weinstock,Peter Loewen Pdf

During the 2015 federal election, the Liberal Party pledged that, if elected, they would end the “first past the post” electoral system, where whichever candidate receives the most votes wins a riding even if they have not received a majority of all votes cast. In early 2017, the Liberals reneged on their campaign promise, declaring that there was a lack of public consensus about how to reform the system. Despite the broken promise – and because of the public outcry – discussions about electoral reform will continue around the country. Challenging the idea that first past the post is obsolete, Should We Change How We Vote? urges Canadians to make sure they understand their electoral system before making drastic changes to it. The contributors to this volume assert that there is perhaps no institution more misunderstood and misrepresented than the Canadian electoral system – praised by some for ensuring broad regional representation in Ottawa, but criticized by others for allowing political parties with less than half the popular vote to assume more than half the seats in Parliament. They consider not only how the system works, but also its flaws and its advantages, and whether or not electoral reform is legitimate without a referendum. An essential guide to the crucial and ongoing debate about the country’s future, Should We Change How We Vote? asks if there are alternative reforms that would be easier to implement than a complete overhaul of the electoral system.

Author : Institute for Research on Public Policy
Publisher : IRPP
Page : 384 pages
File Size : 44,9 Mb
Release : 2005
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 0886451914

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Strengthening Canadian Democracy by Institute for Research on Public Policy Pdf

Reconsidering provincial and federal debates about democratic reform alternatives.

Author : Andrew Reynolds,Ben Reilly,Andrew Ellis
Publisher : Stockholm : International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
Page : 258 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2005
Category : Political Science
ISBN : STANFORD:36105114582120

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Electoral System Design by Andrew Reynolds,Ben Reilly,Andrew Ellis Pdf

Publisher Description

Author : Michael Gallagher,Paul Mitchell
Publisher : Oxford University Press on Demand
Page : 662 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2008-01-10
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 0199238677

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The Politics of Electoral Systems by Michael Gallagher,Paul Mitchell Pdf

Electoral systems matter. They are a crucial link in the chain connecting the preferences of citizens to the policy choices made by governments. They are chosen by political actors and, once in existence, have political consequences for those actors. They are an important object of study for anyone interested in the political process, and in this book we subject them to systematic analysis. In addition to some comparative chapters, the book contains full accounts of the operation of electoral systems in 22 countries: France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Israel, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, The Netherlands, Ireland, Hungary, Russia, Australia, Canada, India, the USA, Japan, New Zealand, Chile, and South Africa. The book provides detailed analyses of the operation of a diverse set of electoral systems in their national context. Each chapter explains how the electoral system really works in the given country, examining the strategic incentives the system provides tovoters, candidates, and parties. All country chapters have a common format and structure. Successive sections analyse: the institutional context; how each electoral system was chosen historically; how the current electoral system operates (the rules, mechanics, and ballot structure); and the political consequences of the current system (the impact on the party system, the internal life of parties, and the impact on parliament and government formation). Each country chapter then contains a final section which focuses on the politicization of electoral institutions. In recent years many countries have changed their electoral systems, either entirely or in part so there is a strong focus on the processes of electoral reform, both historically and prospectively. The book concentrates on the real world 'politics', as well as the 'political science' of electoral systems. The book will be of interest to those concerned with the practical political business of electoral reform. The bookcontains a wealth of evidence about the performance of various kinds of proportional representation and of non-PR systems. This will be invaluable for anyone interested in the question: 'What would be the best electoral system for my country?'

Author : William Paul Cross
Publisher : Canadian Scholars’ Press
Page : 304 pages
File Size : 48,7 Mb
Release : 2007
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781551303260

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Democratic Reform in New Brunswick by William Paul Cross Pdf

Democratic Reform in New Brunswick is a comprehensive collection of research papers written initially for the New Brunswick Commission on Electoral Democracy. The essays provide detailed consideration of the many issues relating to democratic and electoral reform currently on the public policy agenda in Canada. Topics covered include: electoral system change, gender and representational issues, questions relating to party democracy, the role of legislators, concerns around drawing electoral boundaries, fixed election dates, direct democracy, and political disengagement among young voters. All of the essays examine the implications of various reform proposals in these areas and most draw upon the experiences of other jurisdictions in addressing how they might play out in the Canadian context. Many chapters also draw specifically upon the New Brunswick experience in considering how democratic reform might impact upon the province's politics. New Brunswick is Canada's only bilingual province with two vibrant linguistic communities and is in many ways a microcosm of the Canadian state. These readings provide insight into how issues related to democratic and electoral reform may play out on the national stage.

Author : Salomon Orellana
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 166 pages
File Size : 45,8 Mb
Release : 2014-03-26
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781317749141

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Electoral Systems and Governance by Salomon Orellana Pdf

Diversity and dissent have been shown to improve decision-making in small groups. This understanding can be extended to the political arena and in turn it can enlighten ideas about policy-making. This book focuses on the relationship between electoral institutions and policy outcomes in order to effectively explore the impact of diversity and dissent on the political arena. In doing so, it provides an empirical assessment of three key areas: the diversity of political information. policy innovation. pandering. Drawing on economics, psychology, organization theory, and computer science, this innovative volume makes an important contribution to scholarship on the impact of electoral systems and the democratic nature of governments. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of governance, electoral systems, representation, comparative politics, public policy, democratic government and political theory.

Author : Patrick Fournier,Henk van der Kolk,R. Kenneth Carty,André Blais,Jonathan Rose
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 2011-06-09
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780191617850

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When Citizens Decide by Patrick Fournier,Henk van der Kolk,R. Kenneth Carty,André Blais,Jonathan Rose Pdf

Three unprecedented large-scale democratic experiments have recently taken place. Citizen assemblies on electoral reform were conducted in British Columbia, the Netherlands, and Ontario. Groups of randomly selected ordinary citizens were asked to independently design the next electoral system. In each case, the participants spent almost an entire year learning about electoral systems, consulting the public, deliberating, debating, and ultimately deciding what specific institution should be adopted. When Citizens Decide uses these unique cases to examine claims about citizens' capacity for democratic deliberation and active engagement in policy-making. It offers empirical insight into numerous debates and provides answers to a series of key questions: 1) Are ordinary citizens able to decide about a complex issue? Are their decisions reasonable? 2) Who takes part in such proceedings? Are they dominated by people dissatisfied by the status quo? 3) Do some citizens play a more prominent role than others? Are decisions driven by the most vocal or most informed members? 4) Did the participants decide by themselves? Were they influenced by staff, political parties, interest groups, or the public hearings? 5) Does participation in a deliberative process foster citizenship? Did participants become more trusting, tolerant, open-minded, civic-minded, interested in politics, and active in politics? 6) How do the other political actors react? Can the electorate accept policy proposals made by a group of ordinary citizens? The analyses rely upon various types of evidence about both the inner workings of the assemblies and the reactions toward them outside: multi-wave panel surveys of assembly members, content analysis of newspaper coverage, and public opinion survey data. The lessons drawn from this research are relevant to those interested in political participation, public opinion, deliberation, public policy, and democracy. Comparative Politics is a series for students, teachers, and researchers of political science that deals with contemporary government and politics. Global in scope, books in the series are characterised by a stress on comparative analysis and strong methodological rigour. The series is published in association with the European Consortium for Political Research. For more information visit: www.essex.ac.uk/ecpr. The Comparative Politics Series is edited by Professor David M. Farrell, School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin, Kenneth Carty, Professor of Political Science, University of British Columbia, and Professor Dirk Berg-Schlosser, Institute of Political Science, Philipps University, Marburg.

Author : Patrick Fournier,Henk van der Kolk,R. Kenneth Carty,André Blais,Jonathan Rose
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 211 pages
File Size : 44,6 Mb
Release : 2011-06-09
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780199567843

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When Citizens Decide by Patrick Fournier,Henk van der Kolk,R. Kenneth Carty,André Blais,Jonathan Rose Pdf

Three unprecedented large-scale democratic experiments have taken place in which groups of randomly selected ordinary citizens were asked to independently design the next electoral system. The lessons drawn from the research are relevant for those interested in political participation, public opinion, deliberation, public policy, and democracy

Author : Fraser Institute (Vancouver, B.C.)
Publisher : The Fraser Institute
Page : 284 pages
File Size : 44,9 Mb
Release : 2003
Category : Canada
ISBN : 9780889752016

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Fixing Canadian Democracy by Fraser Institute (Vancouver, B.C.) Pdf