Through proportional representation electoral systems, like-minded groupings of voters win legislative seats in better proportion to their share of the population. Whereas winner-take-all elections award 100% of power to a 50.1% majority, proportional representation allows voters in a minority to win a fair share of representation. Proportional representation describes a broad range of methods that require at least some legislators to be elected in districts with more than one seat.

Proportional representation voting systems used in the United States include choice voting (voters rank candidates, and seats are allocated by efficiently distributing voters preferences using a proportional formula), cumulative voting (voters cast as many votes as seats and can give multiple votes to one candidate), and limited voting (voters have fewer votes than seats). Internationally, some proportional representation systems are based on voting for political parties, others for candidates. Some allow very small groupings of voters to win seats; others require higher thresholds of support to win representation. The common thread that defines proportional representation is promoting more accurate, balanced representation of the spectrum of political opinion. More than 100 communities in the United States use proportional representation, the Democrats require states to nominate presidential convention delegates by proportional representation, and almost all emerging democracies have chosen proportional representation. This family of electoral systems is becoming the international norm, with Iraq, Afghanistan, and the entire Eastern Bloc being recent welcome additions to the global community of proportional representation nations.

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November 18th 2006
Electoral college? Sign them up
Globe and Mail

As Ontario looks into its electoral system, different forms of proportional representation are considered as a correction to the current problems.

November 14th 2006
Hain's PR ban could result in a 'crisis' in Wales
IC Wales

The Welsh Secretary of State has come out against proportional representation (PR)in local elections. Many believe this is a political move, saying that the Labour party supported PR when they were not the majority party.

November 7th 2006
Democratic reform high on Manitoba PC agenda
Winnipeg Free Press Live

Manitoba Conservatives are strengthening their policy agenda for the next provincial election, and reforming the electoral system to include proportional representation is high on the list.

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