Highest averages methodA highest-averages method, also called a divisor method, is a class of methods for allocating seats in a parliament among agents such as political parties or federal states. A divisor method is an iterative method: at each iteration, the number of votes of each party is divided by its divisor, which is a function of the number of seats (initially 0) currently allocated to that party. The next seat is allocated to the party whose resulting ratio is largest.
Parliament of AlbaniaThe Parliament of Albania (Kuvendi i Shqipërisë) or Kuvendi is the unicameral representative body of the citizens of the Republic of Albania; it is Albania's legislature. The Parliament is composed of no less than 140 members elected to a four-year term on the basis of direct, universal, periodic and equal suffrage by secret ballot. The Parliament is presided over by the Speaker, who is assisted by at least one deputy speaker. The electoral system is based on party-list proportional representation.
Elections in ArgentinaAt the national level, Argentina elects a head of state (the President) and a legislature. The franchise extends to all citizens aged 16 and over, and voting is mandatory (with a few exceptions) for all those who are between 18 and 70 years of age. The President and the Vice-President are elected in one ballot, for a four-year term, by direct popular vote, using a runoff voting system: a second vote is held if no party wins more than 45% of the votes, or more than 40% with also at least 10 percentage points more than the runner-up.
Imperiali quotaThe Imperiali quota is a formula used to calculate the minimum number, or quota, of votes required to capture a seat in some forms of single transferable vote or largest remainder method party-list proportional representation voting systems. It is distinct from the Imperiali method, a type of highest average method. It is named after Belgian senator Pierre Imperiali. The Czech Republic is the only country that currently uses this allocation system, while Italy and Ecuador used it in the past.
Elections in BoliviaBolivia elects on national level a head of state – the president – and a legislature. The president and the vice-president are elected for a five-year term by the people. The National Congress (Congreso Nacional) has two chambers. The Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados) has 130 members, elected for a five-year term using the Additional Member System, and in the case of seven indigenous seats by usos y costumbres. The Chamber of Senators (Cámara de Senadores) has 36 members: each of the country's nine departments returns four senators allocated proportionally.
Elections in UruguayUruguay elects on national level a head of state – the president – and a legislature. Uruguay has a stable multi-party system. The two "traditional parties" (Colorado Party and National Party) were founded in 1836, and were predominant for over a century. The Broad Front coalition was created in 1971, including members such as the Socialist Party (founded in 1910) and the Communist Party (founded in 1920). The president and the vice-president are elected on one ballot for a five-year term by the people.
Elections in SwedenElections in Sweden are held once every four years. At the highest level, all 349 members of Riksdag, the national parliament of Sweden, are elected in general elections. Elections to the 20 county councils (landsting) and 290 municipal assemblies (kommunfullmäktige) – all using almost the same electoral system – are held concurrently with the legislative elections on the second Sunday in September (with effect from 2014; until 2010 they had been held on the third Sunday in September).
Droop quotaThe Droop quota is the quota most commonly used in elections held under the single transferable vote (STV) system. It is also sometimes used in elections held under the largest remainder method of party-list proportional representation (list PR). Any candidate that receives quota is declared elected. Under some STV systems, especially those of the full-preferential voting variant, often all the winners receive the quota, but in others, of the optional-preferential voting or semi-optional preferential voting variants, if is common for as many as three winners in a district to be elected with less than quota.
Majority bonus systemThe majority bonus system (MBS) is a form of semi-proportional representation used in some European countries. Its feature is a majority bonus which gives extra seats or representation in an elected body to the party or to the joined parties with the most votes with the aim of providing government stability. It is currently used in Greece, Armenia, San Marino, French Polynesia and formerly in Italy from 2006 to 2013. In Argentina, it is used in the Chamber of Deputies of the Province of Santa Fe, Chubut, and Entre Ríos.
Direct electionDirect election is a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are chosen depends upon the electoral system used. The most commonly used systems are the plurality system and the two-round system for single-winner elections, such as a presidential election, and party-list proportional representation for the election of a legislature.
