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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December 6th 2005
Opposition Parties Announce Sweeping Political Reform
Yemen Observer

Yemeni opposition advocates proportional voting as part of civil liberties and social inclusion reform package.

December 5th 2005
For Liberal Parties, a Win of Sorts in Moscow
The Washington Post

Thanks to Moscow's system of semi-proportional voting, opposition to Russia's ruling party will be represented in the city parliament and have a chance to build support as the 2007 national vote approaches.

November 27th 2005
Waiting for the Sun Gods
Asian Tribune

Article discussing the problems created by winner-take-all voting systems for Sri Lanka, as well as the likely benefits of a proportional representation system in providing minority representation and stopping distortions in representation.

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