Alabama paradox
The Alabama paradox refers to the pathologicial scenario of the Hamilton_method in which an increase in the total number of seats in the legislature would cause an electoral district or political party to lose a seat.
For example:
| Party | Votes |
|---|---|
| A | 56.7% |
| B | 38.5% |
| C | 4.2% |
| D | 0.6% |
With 323 seats, the Hamilton method gives:
| Party | Quotas | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| A | 183.141 | 183 |
| B | 124.355 | 124 |
| C | 13.566 | 14 |
| D | 1.938 | 2 |
But with 324 seats:
| Party | Quotas | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| A | 183.708 | 184 |
| B | 124.740 | 125 |
| C | 13.608 | 13 |
| D | 1.944 | 2 |
The Alabama Paradox is named after the 1880 observation by U.S. census clerk C.W. Seaton that the state of Alabama would lose one of its 8 seats in the House of Representatives if the size of the House were increased from 299 to 300.