PAL representation: Difference between revisions
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PAL ([[Proportional Representation | Proportional]], [[Petitioner Accountability | Accountable]], [[Proportionate Representation | Local]]) representation is a system for electing a proportionally-representative legislature. Most voters would vote for a single candidate listed on their local ballot. The vote totals are compared to the threshold for election to a seat, allow for up to one seat worth of leftover votes; for instance, if there are 9 seats, the threshold would be 10% of the vote plus one. Among those candidates who are not elected directly, the ones with the lowest vote totals are eliminated, and their votes transferred according to the predeclared preferences of the candidate preferred on that ballot. Once candidates are elected, each district would be assigned one representative from each winning party, so that each representative could have multiple districts; smaller, more concentrated territories for representatives of larger parties, and broader, more diffuse territories for those of smaller parties. Thus, among the representatives assigned to your district, you could always ensure that there would be one whom you'd helped elect; someone who truly represented you, both geographically and ideologically.
== Simplified Process ==
[[File:PAL_infographic.png]]
=== Predeclaration ===
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== Advantages ==
=== Simple; safe ===
It's easy to get confused by the details of any given electoral process, because rules which cover every eventuality are rarely simple. However, this system is very simple for the voters; all you have to do is vote for your favorite candidate.
Also, it's designed to be a gentle change from a single-member-district system. The ballot format is similar; districts can remain unchanged; voters will still have a single person they can point to as "their representative"; and '''if single-member districts are giving fair proportions from cohesive parties, PAL representation will elect exactly the same members'''. Though other, older proportional systems such as STV or mixed-member have seen more use, PAL is still in some sense a safer, more gradual reform.
The difference is that most representatives will represent multiple districts, and each district will have multiple representatives (one from each winning party). This allows each voter to know who their representative is, while preserving ballot secrecy. Thus, whereas currently only 60-70% of US voters voted for their representative, and many of those because they have no real choice, with PAL voting over 80% overall, and over 95% in large states, would be guaranteed to have a representative whom they'd supported directly or indirectly.
=== P: Proportional ===
:*Thus, a large majority of voters have real representation
:*Each representative is elected with the same number of votes.
*P is also Prudent; not a radical change from single-member districts
:*No redistricting necessary
:*If:
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::* and the districts are divided fairly so that plurality would give a proportional result
::... then PAL representation (like Balinski's "Fair Representation") gives the same results as plurality. These assumptions will not generally be perfectly true, but they will generally be close to true, so PAL representation will give results that are recognizably similar to those of single-member districts. It is hoped that this would make it a more acceptable system to politicians who have won under single-winner rules.
:*Voters, not party bureaucrats, decide which members of a given party get seated.
:*Predeclared "faction" preferences give voters a clear view of and say over the ideological variations within a party, without opening the door to tricky strategic politicking as full candidate-by-candidate preference orders would.
::*In particular, they are a good compromise between party discipline and individual independence; a rogue partymember can be disciplined, but only insofar as they don't have enough direct votes, and only by a natural consensus of the party, not by any centralized party bureaucracy.
:*Since the total votes needed for election is higher, the "margin of victory" is reduced. There are no safe, gerrymandered seats where corrupt representatives can hide.
=== L: Local ===
:*Representatives know who is a constituent and voters know who is their representative.
:*Neighbors can organize to lobby their shared representatives.
:*Fair attention for local issues.
=== Compared to other PR systems ===
Other PR systems have problems which make them extremely hard to pass as a replacement for single-member districts. PAL resolves all of the following issues:
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A modified version of STV is used as the proportional system for simplicity. Other proportional systems might also work (although a non-LNH system might put perverse incentives on candidates). The main difference from standard STV is that this system allows equal ranking, and thus uses fractional division of votes. This is necessary for three reasons. First, it allows for approval-style votes to be counted without complicating the ballot. Second, it allows candidates to exercise judgment independently from their party (disapproving of certain party members), but keeps the voter's judgment as primary. If candidates couldn't exercise judgment, parties would have to waste energy keeping out "crazy" candidates who affiliate only because of the transfer votes they might get. If candidates could fully-rank within the party, as would happen if the PR system were standard STV, there would be too many opportunities for logrolling, at a level of detail where voters wouldn't realistically keep track or hold candidates accountable. Third, equal-ranking makes it so that, under reasonable circumstances, PAL could elect exactly the same representatives as a non-gerrymandered single-member-district system; this is an important selling point for incumbent politicians.
[[Category:Proportional voting methods]]
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