Which type of organizing electoral governing system do the majority of the worlds countries have?

An electoral system is a set of rules on how votes are converted into seats for political or civic authority.

Majoritarian System

This system is used to conduct Presidential Election where the winning candidate must receive more than fifty percent of the valid votes cast

However, if at the initial ballot or first election, none of the presidential candidates gets more than fifty percent of the valid votes cast, a second ballot, will be held within thirty-seven days of the initial ballot or first election. In this election only the candidates with the highest and second highest number of valid votes cast in the initial ballot will be the candidates.

Simple Majority or First Past the Post

This system is used to conduct National Assembly, Mayoral/Council Chairperson and Councillor Elections. This is where a candidate who gets the highest number of votes is declared winner regardless of the percentage.

Types of Elections

There are three types of elections;

• Presidential - Choosing the Republican President
• National Assembly - Choosing members of the National Assembly
• Local Government Elections - Choosing Mayors in City and Municipal Councils, Council Chairpersons for District Councils and Councillors in Wards.

Forms of Elections

• General elections – This is when Presidential, National Assembly and Local Government Elections are held at the same time. Voters vote for a Republican President/Vice-President, Member of Parliament, Mayor/Council Chairperson and Councillors. General elections in Zambia are held on a second Thursday of August every five (5) years which is a public holiday.
• By-elections – These are held when the office of the Member of Parliament, Mayor/Council Chairperson or Councillor becomes vacant.

Credible Elections

All the electoral activities that take place before, during and after the Election day help to determine whether or not elections are credible. It is therefore, important that the stages of the electoral process namely; electoral legal reforms, delimitation, voter registration, voter education, nominations, political campaigns, voting and results management are well managed.

Conditions of holding credible elections

• A well-organised registration of voters’ exercise that gives an opportunity to eligible Zambians to register as voters.
• Access to information by all voters and candidates to hold meetings and campaign freely without being intimidated or threatened.
• Objective and balanced media coverage of candidates and all political parties.
• Compliance to the Electoral Code of Conduct by all stakeholders.
• All eligible voters are able to cast their votes without any difficulty.
• The voting and counting process are conducted according to laid down procedures.
• All eligible citizens should be able to register to voter.

Abstract

Looking at the history of democracies in the developed world, I show that electoral systems derive from the decisions the ruling parties make to maximize their representation according to the following conditions. As long as the electoral arena does not change and the current electoral regime benefits the ruling parties, the electoral system is not altered. As the electoral arena changes (due to the entry of new voters or a change in voters' preferences), the ruling parties modify the electoral system, depending on the emergence of new parties and the coordinating capacities of the old parties. When the new parties are strong, the old parties shift from plurality/majority to proportional representation if no old party enjoys a dominant position, but they do not do this if there is a dominant old party. When new entrants are weak, a system of nonproportional representation is maintained, regardless of the structure of the old party system.

Journal Information

The American Political Science Review (APSR) is the longest running publication of the American Political Science Association (APSA). APSR, first published in November 1906 and appearing quarterly, is the preeminent political science journal in the United States and internationally. APSR features research from all fields of political science and contains an extensive book review section of the discipline. In its earlier days, APSR also covered the personal and personnel items of the profession as had its predecessor, the Proceedings of the APSA.

Publisher Information

Founded in 1903, the American Political Science Association is the major professional society for individuals engaged in the study of politics and government. APSA brings together political scientists from all fields of inquiry, regions, and occupational endeavors. While most APSA members are scholars who teach and conduct research in colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad, one-fourth work outside academe in government, research, organizations, consulting firms, the news media, and private enterprise. For more information about the APSA, its publications and programs, please see the APSA website.

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