Participation in elections is the duty of every citizen. But how many of them understand what, in fact, is happening at this moment? So you can clearly explain to your friends what a majoritarian district is? How does it differ from others and why is it so sophisticatedly called? Let's try to figure it out. This will come in handy for many when the time comes again to go to the polling station. Still, you need to understand in which process you are participating, so as not to replenish the ranks of those who use the "blind".
Electoral system
You can’t figure it out without this concept. After all, the majority district is part of it. The electoral system is a legislatively fixed mechanism of the process of will of citizens. Everything is clearly marked and painted in it. Participants, processes, mechanisms are fixed by a special law (and sometimes several).
Including in the documents, electoral technology is also defined. It includes a system of means, a mechanism, methods of organizing, conducting will. There are three such technologies: proportional, mixed and majority. In our case, the latter is used. Moreover, the constituency is a kind of territorial unit of the electoral system. They are divided into the territory on which, in accordance with the law, elections are held. For example, if a country's parliament is being formed, then constituencies are created throughout its territory, and so on.
Majority system
This type of election process is considered the oldest. The term itself, incomprehensible to many, comes from the French word "majorite". It translates as "majority." From this we can easily conclude what the majority district means. This is the territory in which those candidates who managed to get the majority of the votes are elected. Only that is not all. Such a “majority” is determined by law, in each case separately. For example, there are systems where the one who turned out to be “first” after counting wins. It is called an absolute majority system. In this case, the voter included in the majority district receives a ballot where it is necessary to put only one tick. The candidate who aroused the confidence of the majority of those who voted is declared the winner.
Other majority systems
In many countries, voting is carried out according to this principle. You can name the United States and Britain, Canada and France, Russia and Ukraine. In the last chapter, village councils, for example, are elected according to the principle of relative majority. It is significantly different from the above. The legislator of this state decided that it is more fair. That is why, when a majority constituency is formed, it includes a certain number of voters.
Everyone, of course, has their own opinion. If the calculation is carried out according to the absolute system, then the one with the majority of votes arithmetically wins. But even this is considered unfair; in fact, a small part of voters can choose it. When the calculation is carried out in accordance with the relative system, the winner is the one with more than half of the votes cast. This is significant, since in fact a significant part of voters voted for this candidacy. In addition, the majority system of the qualified majority is distinguished.
Advantages and disadvantages
It should be noted that when a constituency is formed, many factors are taken into account. As a rule, these are the geographical location of settlements, the population, the number of mandates, and some others. It is believed that the electoral majority district is precisely that element that is consistent with democratic principles. Every citizen has the opportunity not only to take part in the expression of will, but also to “be heard”. His voice will certainly affect the outcome of the process. In addition, the legislator prescribes special conditions by a special act. These may be: turnout threshold or counting system. These nuances seem insignificant to the uninitiated. However, they significantly affect the results of the will of citizens united in the electoral majority district. Among the shortcomings indicate a decrease in the level of participation of people in the second vote. Let's consider in more detail.
Re-vote
The result in a majority system is far from always final after the first round. The law by which the expression of will is carried out determines the criteria for declaring winners. If it turns out after the counting of votes that none of the candidates satisfies them, then repeated elections are held. Majority districts remain the same. Changes may be made to the list of candidates. Take the same example of the election of rural heads in Ukraine. If none of the candidates collected half the votes, then those who entered the “two” leaders compete with each other. At the same time, another vote is being taken.
Australian system
Majority elections can be held in peculiar ways. In Australia, for example, the legislator has found a way to evade re-voting. There, the calculation is carried out on the principle of an absolute majority. But the voter is given the right to indicate additional benefits for other candidates. It's comfortable. In the event that no one receives the absolute majority the first time, they throw the very last out of the list, then recount. This is the case until they determine a candidate who fully meets the requirements prescribed by law. It turns out that even in a difficult situation there is no need to recruit voters for its resolution. Each, so to speak, pre-expresses all his wishes about the winner (prioritizes). You must admit that this system is more democratic than the one where a simple absolute majority is calculated.
List of candidates by majority districts
The voter, of course, is not interested in the counting system itself, but in whom to vote for. But in this case it is nevertheless necessary to have a concept of the legislation that defines the essence of the will. In a simple system, you need to cast your vote for one candidate (check the box). In more complex ones - specify additional priorities. In addition, there are multi-member districts.
In them, the list is made up not of personified candidates, but of collegiate ones. They are represented by party lists. All these nuances must be recognized ahead of time, before going to the site. And in the most general version of the candidates, the corresponding commission registers. She also forms ballots, which indicate all who have passed the selection, submitted documents and so on. The process is not easy. But the voter receives a ballot list in his hands, having confidence in his full compliance with the current legislation.
