How Does PR-STV Affect The Electoral System
In this essay I shall examine the meaning of an electoral system and explain how the system of the proportional representation by means of of the single transferable vote (PR-STV) operates in Ireland. To facilitate these aims I will give a brief account of the history behind PR-STV in Ireland and Dáil Éireann. I will continue this essay by discussing the positive and negative effects PR-STV has on the Irish political system.
An election is a device for filling a post through choices made by ‘designated’ group of people. It lies at the heart of a representative democracy. An electoral system has been defined as a “method of converting votes cast by electors into seats in a legislature” (Bogdanor, 1983:1). Proportional representation (PR) has been defined as “a type of electoral system that decides the make-up of a …show more content…
PR-STV was developed by Thomas Hare in England and Carl Andrae in the late 1850s. PR-STV became particularly relevant in Ireland during the early twentieth century due to the problem of minority representation during the event of Home Rule. It was not until 1918 when PR-STV was first enacted. In January 1919 Sligo Corporation became the first single local council to hold an election under PR-STV. Soon after it was decided by the British Government that PR-STV was to be introduced for the 1920 local elections. PR was included in the 1922 constitution ( Article 26). Although the constitution did not specify which type of PR would be used, it was assumed that PR-STV would be used. In the 1937 constitution Éamon De Valera included that not only PR should be used but it should be used by means of the single transferable vote (Sinnott, 2009). Article 16.2.5 of the constitution currently states that members of Dáil Éireann “shall be elected on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote” (Bunreacht na hÉireann,
An election is a device for filling a post through choices made by ‘designated’ group of people. It lies at the heart of a representative democracy. An electoral system has been defined as a “method of converting votes cast by electors into seats in a legislature” (Bogdanor, 1983:1). Proportional representation (PR) has been defined as “a type of electoral system that decides the make-up of a …show more content…
PR-STV was developed by Thomas Hare in England and Carl Andrae in the late 1850s. PR-STV became particularly relevant in Ireland during the early twentieth century due to the problem of minority representation during the event of Home Rule. It was not until 1918 when PR-STV was first enacted. In January 1919 Sligo Corporation became the first single local council to hold an election under PR-STV. Soon after it was decided by the British Government that PR-STV was to be introduced for the 1920 local elections. PR was included in the 1922 constitution ( Article 26). Although the constitution did not specify which type of PR would be used, it was assumed that PR-STV would be used. In the 1937 constitution Éamon De Valera included that not only PR should be used but it should be used by means of the single transferable vote (Sinnott, 2009). Article 16.2.5 of the constitution currently states that members of Dáil Éireann “shall be elected on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote” (Bunreacht na hÉireann,