Australian Politics and Policy - Senior, 2019a

Electoral systems
to be grouped with other independents in an ‘unaligned’ or similar group in order to
maximise their collective vote share. The unnamed group in Figure 4 is an example.
Hare–Clark systems, such as those used in Tasmania and the ACT, do not give
voters the option of ranking parties. Rather, candidates are grouped by party (or
independent status) on the ballot paper, but voters must rank them individually
(see Figure 5). Moreover, both Tasmania and the ACT use ‘Robson rotation’: the
electoral commission prints as many versions of the ballot paper as there are
candidates in the largest group, with the order randomised and each candidate
appearing at the top of the list as often as every other candidate in their group.
Accordingly, the parties have no power to promote particular candidates via the
ballot paper; as in open party-list systems, candidates need to be known to and
trustedbyvotersthemselves.
Mixed systems
Some jurisdictions have successfully combined elements of majoritarian and
consensual electoral systems. Although German elections have consistently produced
coalition governments, the country actually has a semi-consensual electoral
system. Voters get to cast two ballots: one for their local electoral division (i.e.
a‘localmember’)andonevoteforaparty.Theycanvoteforalocalcandidate
representingoneparty,butcastapartyvoteforanentirelydifferentparty.Inthis
way, parties are incentivised to provide both strong local representation and a clear,
cohesive vision for the country. New Zealand has a similar system, allowing voters
both an electorate and party vote (see Figure 6). Representatives elected from the
electorateandpartylists–withthelatterappointedinaclosedpartylistprocess
– sit together in the unicameral (i.e. one house) legislature. This combination
of systems is commonly called ‘mixed member proportional’, and many political
scientists laud its combination of representation and stability. 16
Conclusions
This chapter has explored how electoral systems can affect political stability,
responsiveness, representativeness and citizen satisfaction. It has also examined
compulsoryvoting,anaspectofAustralia’selectoralsystemthatisoftentakenfor
granted, but one that is integral to the country’s political culture, party system and
electoral outcomes. The combination of Australia’s majoritarian electoral system
(in the federal House of Representatives, where government is formed) and
compulsory voting has led to high levels of political stability and the long-term
dominance of the major parties.
16 Shugart and Wattenberg 2001.
99