Closed list
Encyclopedia
Closed list describes the variant of party-list proportional representation
where voters can (effectively) only vote for political parties
as a whole and thus have no influence on the party-supplied order in which party candidates are elected. If voters have at least some influence then it is called an open list
.
In closed list systems the party has pre-decided on who will receive the votes for the political parties
in the elections, that is, the candidates positioned highest on this list tend to always get a seat in the parliament while the candidates positioned very low on the closed list will not.
However, the candidates "at the water mark" of this specific party are in the position of either losing or winning their seat, depending on the specific total closed list votes for this party.
"The water mark" is defined as the number of seats a specific party can be expected to achieve, in reference to how the party produces their closed lists, that is, the candidates who might or might not get a seat.
The party executive or party leader generally control the list, consequently closed-list systems transfer political power to the un-elected persons (strategists, delegates, party officials, etc.) who author the party's list of candidates. However, parties can mitigate this by using an internal vote of their members or an open primary
to determine the ordering of the lists.
Party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation systems are a family of voting systems emphasizing proportional representation in elections in which multiple candidates are elected...
where voters can (effectively) only vote for political parties
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
as a whole and thus have no influence on the party-supplied order in which party candidates are elected. If voters have at least some influence then it is called an open list
Open list
Open list describes any variant of party-list proportional representation where voters have at least some influence on the order in which a party's candidates are elected...
.
In closed list systems the party has pre-decided on who will receive the votes for the political parties
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in the elections, that is, the candidates positioned highest on this list tend to always get a seat in the parliament while the candidates positioned very low on the closed list will not.
However, the candidates "at the water mark" of this specific party are in the position of either losing or winning their seat, depending on the specific total closed list votes for this party.
"The water mark" is defined as the number of seats a specific party can be expected to achieve, in reference to how the party produces their closed lists, that is, the candidates who might or might not get a seat.
List of countries with closed list proportional representation
- AlbaniaElections in AlbaniaAlbania holds elections on a national level for a legislature. The Assembly of Albania has 140 members elected for four-year terms. The electoral system is closed list proportional representation. There are 12 multi-member constituencies corresponding to the country's 12 administrative regions...
- ArgentinaElections in ArgentinaThis articles gives information on voting, elections and election results in Argentina. For details about government institutions and political parties, see Politics of Argentina....
- AndorraElections in AndorraElections in Andorra gives information on election and election results in Andorra.Andorra elects on national level a legislature. The General Council has 28 members, elected for a four year term, 14 in two-seat constituencies and 14 by proportional representation.Andorra has a multi-party...
- Hong KongElections in Hong KongElections are held in Hong Kong when certain offices in the government need to be filled. Every four years, half of the unicameral Legislative Council of Hong Kong's sixty seats representing the geographical constituencies are filled by the electorate; the other thirty seats representing the...
- IsraelElections in IsraelElections in Israel are based on nationwide proportional representation. The electoral threshold is currently set at 2%, with the number of seats a party receives in the Knesset being proportional to the number of votes it receives. The Knesset is elected for a four-year term, although most...
- ItalyElections in ItalyThis page gathers the results of elections in Italy.Italy elected, on national level, a Parliament consisting of two houses, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic...
- In Mexico's Lower Chamber, 200 out of 500 Deputies are elected using Closed Lists
- Pakistan: 70/342 members of the National AssemblyNational Assembly of PakistanThe National Assembly of Pakistan is the lower house of the bicameral Majlis-e-Shura, which also compromises the President of Pakistan and Senate . The National Assembly and the Senate both convene at Parliament House in Islamabad...
are elected using Closed lists - PhilippinesElections in the PhilippinesThe Philippines elects on national level a head of state and a legislature. The president is elected for a six-year term by the people. The vice-president is elected at the same time on a separate ballot...
- RussiaElections in RussiaOn the federal level, Russia elects a president as head of state and a legislature, one of the two chambers of the Federal Assembly. The president is elected for at most two six-year terms by the people . The Federal Assembly has two chambers...
- ScotlandElections in ScotlandScotland has elections to several bodies: the Scottish Parliament, the United Kingdom Parliament, the European Parliament, local councils and community councils.-Scottish Parliament:...
- SerbiaElections in SerbiaSerbia elects on national level a legislature and a president. The National Assembly of Serbia has 250 members elected for a four year term. Serbia has a multi-party system, with numerous parties in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties must work with each other...
- Sri LankaElections in Sri LankaElections in Sri Lanka gives information on election and election results in Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The president is elected for a six year term by the people...
- UK MEPs (except Northern Ireland) are elected using Closed Lists
- South AfricaElections in South AfricaElections in South Africa take place on national, provincial, and local levels. South Africa is a multi-party democracy with the African National Congress in power with a significant majority since 1994...
- UkraineElections in UkraineElections in Ukraine gives information on election and election results in Ukraine.Ukraine elects on national level a head of state and a legislature. The president is elected for a five-year term by the people...
Criticism
Voting systems using a closed list employ a listing of candidates selected by the party. Whoever controls this list is in a crucial power-brokering role. Members (candidates) elected from the list are essentially in thrall to the list maker—their political survival depends on how high up the list their name appears, or whether it appears at all.The party executive or party leader generally control the list, consequently closed-list systems transfer political power to the un-elected persons (strategists, delegates, party officials, etc.) who author the party's list of candidates. However, parties can mitigate this by using an internal vote of their members or an open primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
to determine the ordering of the lists.