The majority electoral system

The majority electoral system is one of the options for organizing an electoral system in which the candidates selected are those who obtained the majority of votes in the district in which they ran (nominated). In this case, the majority can be qualified, absolute or relative. In accordance with this, the majority electoral system within its framework distinguishes three varieties. Thus, a qualified, absolute or relative type is established depending on what is required: obtaining a candidate (or more) or more than another (or more) candidate, or at least one vote, more than half of the voters, or a certain percentage of votes As a rule, more or less substantially exceeding half of voters).

Undoubtedly, the majority electoral system has a number of advantages. As a rule, it is supported by relatively large political entities, serious blocs of parties, other associations (political), which were able to agree on joint nomination of unified lists.

It should be noted that majority elections have an important dignity. In the process, the voter knows directly who he votes for.

As practice shows, the majority electoral system is capable of ensuring the most successful formation of parliaments, in which there is a stable majority (one-party, as a rule) and a minority consisting of different political factions. This structure is more conducive to the formation of a stable, stable government.

The majority electoral system is quite widespread in the world. It is present in Russia, the United States, Australia, France, the United Kingdom and several dozen other states.

Despite quite obvious advantages, this electoral system considerably narrows the possibilities of a political minority at the parliamentary level. This applies not only to small but also to medium-sized parties. As practice shows, some of them very often remain without representation in the parliament, however, together with this, in aggregate they could lead a very significant part of the population of the country.

For the implementation of the majority electoral system, the territory of the country is divided into units. From each one, as a rule, one (sometimes two or more) is elected. Candidates are nominated in their personal capacity, however, the designation of the party or movement to which they adjoin is allowed.

Deputies after the victory in one election should maintain interaction with voters. Thus, they can provide themselves with their support in the following election campaigns.

The drawbacks of the majority system include the fact that the votes cast for the losers of candidates are lost.

Elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation since 1993 are held in a mixed proportional-majority system.

It is established that half (225) of all Duma deputies are nominated in single-mandate constituencies (one mandate per district). To win, you should get more votes than other candidates. Thus, the system of majority elections of the relative majority is applied.

In 1993, deputies to the Federation Council were nominated by two from each subject. In this case, the majority system was also applied, but already with a two-mandate district.

In the representative bodies of power deputies were given the opportunity to nominate in a mixed type. In all constituent entities of the Russian Federation, elections are carried out by districts, and in some constituent entities there were two: in terms of the number of voters (ordinary) and administrative-territorial (city or district).