Proportional Representation: Redeeming the Democratic Deficit

The primary standard of democratic governance in modern societies is a system of free, fair and open elections in which the people elect representatives who govern with their consent expressed through an election process. Parliamentary or presidential systems are judged, in part, according to the degree to which elected governments are accountable to the people. In most parliamentary systems, governments are formed by elected members of political parties which may exercise authority on their own if they win a majority of the seats in a legislature. In presidential systems with a clear division of power between the head of state and the legislature, matters are more complicated; however, the general principle is that democratic governments are ultimately subject to the people’s will. Unfortunately, electoral systems have evolved in a way that often permits artificial majorities in which parties with a mere plurality of votes are entitled to rule as though they had the support of most voters. As well, small but significant parties are often severely underrepresented in electoral outcomes that discriminate against those which are not top contenders but nonetheless embody legitimate interests. To ensure that all viewpoints are properly represented in government and that opportunities exist to permit “third-party ” choices to