PAL representation: Difference between revisions

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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'''.

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.