Is there a way to make an election interesting even to those voters who live in an enemy stronghold, where the voter has no hope of seeing their own party win?
May 16, 2022·edited May 16, 2022Liked by Lawrence Krubner
Here in Australia (a) we have compulsory voting for both national and state elections, and (b) we have Preferential (Ranked Choice) Voting, so even though my preferred party never wins a majority, my second preference goes to assist the most similar centre-left party, and they often win this electorate (district). So elections remain "interesting", even if your favourite isn't going to win it.
We also have a strictly independent set of electoral commissions (both national and per state), and jerrymandering is therefore much reduced. Of course there are some electorates that have been in the hands of the same party since they were created, but that is a result of the demographics (in simple terms - rich, working class, or rural); about half the electorates are "safe seats", and about a quarter are marginal or swing seats.
However, if Party A wins 54% of the votes cast nationally, they will in general have a majority pretty similar to that (so in the House, say 80 seats out of 150) - the composition of the House broadly reflects the vote, once the preferences in each vote cast have been distributed.
The Senate is decided on state-wide proportional representation, so the six Senators elected each cycle will broadly represent voter intent, with the two major parties getting around two (sometimes three) Senators, and then there is a battle among minor parties and independents for the remaining one or two seats. So even if your House electorate is going to a party you don't support, a vote in the Senate is still a good reason to turn up.
Here in Australia (a) we have compulsory voting for both national and state elections, and (b) we have Preferential (Ranked Choice) Voting, so even though my preferred party never wins a majority, my second preference goes to assist the most similar centre-left party, and they often win this electorate (district). So elections remain "interesting", even if your favourite isn't going to win it.
We also have a strictly independent set of electoral commissions (both national and per state), and jerrymandering is therefore much reduced. Of course there are some electorates that have been in the hands of the same party since they were created, but that is a result of the demographics (in simple terms - rich, working class, or rural); about half the electorates are "safe seats", and about a quarter are marginal or swing seats.
However, if Party A wins 54% of the votes cast nationally, they will in general have a majority pretty similar to that (so in the House, say 80 seats out of 150) - the composition of the House broadly reflects the vote, once the preferences in each vote cast have been distributed.
The Senate is decided on state-wide proportional representation, so the six Senators elected each cycle will broadly represent voter intent, with the two major parties getting around two (sometimes three) Senators, and then there is a battle among minor parties and independents for the remaining one or two seats. So even if your House electorate is going to a party you don't support, a vote in the Senate is still a good reason to turn up.