PSCI 1024 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Party System, Presidential System, Proportional Representation

• School: Virginia Tech
• Department: Political Science
• Course: PSCI 1024
• Professor: Weisband

Document Summary

Referendum: an election in which voters choose directly whether a particular proposal will become law; this contrasts with other kinds of elections in which voters choose among various candidates for a political office. Electoral system: a set of rules by which the outcomes of an election (a set of officers elected or whatever) is determined from the distribution of votes cast by the electorate. Proportional representation electoral system: an electoral system in which parties received a number of sears in the legislature roughly proportional to the number of votes that were cast for them among the electorate. Paradox of voting: the paradox that no one should vote if their only reason for voting is that they wish to help their favored candidate win. The odd that the rest of the voters will produce a tie are incredibly small, and that is the only circumstance in which the person"s vote will make any difference to the candidate.