The Political Consequences of the Electoral System: Single Nontransferable Voting in Taiwan

Issues and Studies

Volumn 32, Issue 8, 1996, Pages 85-104

  Wang, Yeh Lih ^a  

^a TUNGHAI UNIVERSITY   (Taiwan)

Author keywords

Duverger's law; Hybrid systems; Medium sized district; Proportionality; Single nontransferable voting (SNTV); Strategic voting

Indexed keywords

EID: 0242287732     PISSN: 10132511     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Article

References (96)

1. Samuel P. Huntington, The Third Wave: Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century (Norman, Okla.: University of Oklahoma Press, 1991).
2. Arend Lijphart, Democracies: Patterns of Majoritarian and Consensus Government in Twenty-one Countries (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1984), 1.
3. Huntington, The Third Wave, 7.
4. See Anthony Downs, An Economic Theory of Democracy (New York: Harper & Row, 1957); Maurice Duverger, Political Parties: Their Organization and Activity in the Modern State, trans. Barbara and Robert North (New York: Wiley, 1966); Douglas W. Rae, The Political Consequence of Electoral Law (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1971); Bernard Grofman and Arend Lijphart, eds., Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences (New York: Agathon Press, 1986); Rein Taagepera and Matthew Soberg Shugart, Seats and Votes: The Effects and Determinants of Electoral Systems (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989).
5. See Anthony Downs, An Economic Theory of Democracy (New York: Harper & Row, 1957); Maurice Duverger, Political Parties: Their Organization and Activity in the Modern State, trans. Barbara and Robert North (New York: Wiley, 1966); Douglas W. Rae, The Political Consequence of Electoral Law (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1971); Bernard Grofman and Arend Lijphart, eds., Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences (New York: Agathon Press, 1986); Rein Taagepera and Matthew Soberg Shugart, Seats and Votes: The Effects and Determinants of Electoral Systems (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989).
6. See Anthony Downs, An Economic Theory of Democracy (New York: Harper & Row, 1957); Maurice Duverger, Political Parties: Their Organization and Activity in the Modern State, trans. Barbara and Robert North (New York: Wiley, 1966); Douglas W. Rae, The Political Consequence of Electoral Law (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1971); Bernard Grofman and Arend Lijphart, eds., Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences (New York: Agathon Press, 1986); Rein Taagepera and Matthew Soberg Shugart, Seats and Votes: The Effects and Determinants of Electoral Systems (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989).
7. See Anthony Downs, An Economic Theory of Democracy (New York: Harper & Row, 1957); Maurice Duverger, Political Parties: Their Organization and Activity in the Modern State, trans. Barbara and Robert North (New York: Wiley, 1966); Douglas W. Rae, The Political Consequence of Electoral Law (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1971); Bernard Grofman and Arend Lijphart, eds., Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences (New York: Agathon Press, 1986); Rein Taagepera and Matthew Soberg Shugart, Seats and Votes: The Effects and Determinants of Electoral Systems (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989).
8. See Anthony Downs, An Economic Theory of Democracy (New York: Harper & Row, 1957); Maurice Duverger, Political Parties: Their Organization and Activity in the Modern State, trans. Barbara and Robert North (New York: Wiley, 1966); Douglas W. Rae, The Political Consequence of Electoral Law (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1971); Bernard Grofman and Arend Lijphart, eds., Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences (New York: Agathon Press, 1986); Rein Taagepera and Matthew Soberg Shugart, Seats and Votes: The Effects and Determinants of Electoral Systems (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989).
9. Lijphart, Democracies, 150-54; Thomas T. Mackie and Richard Rose, The International Almanac of Electoral History (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly, 1991), 503-11.
10. Lijphart, Democracies, 150-54; Thomas T. Mackie and Richard Rose, The International Almanac of Electoral History (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly, 1991), 503-11.
11. Japan and South Korea respectively abandoned SNTV in 1994 and 1988 to switch to a hybrid single-member district plurality and PR system.
12. Arend Lijphart, Rafael Lopez Pintor, and Yasunori Sone, "The Limited Vote and the Single Nontransferable Vote: Lessons from the Japanese and Spanish Examples," in Grofman and Lijphart, Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences, 154-69; Steven R. Reed, "Structure and Behaviour: Extending Duverger's Law to the Japanese Case," British Journal of Political Science 20 (1990): 335-56; Gary W. Cox, "Strategic Voting Equilibria under the Single Nontransferable Vote," American Political Science Review 88 (1994): 608-21.
13. Arend Lijphart, Rafael Lopez Pintor, and Yasunori Sone, "The Limited Vote and the Single Nontransferable Vote: Lessons from the Japanese and Spanish Examples," in Grofman and Lijphart, Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences, 154-69; Steven R. Reed, "Structure and Behaviour: Extending Duverger's Law to the Japanese Case," British Journal of Political Science 20 (1990): 335-56; Gary W. Cox, "Strategic Voting Equilibria under the Single Nontransferable Vote," American Political Science Review 88 (1994): 608-21.
14. Arend Lijphart, Rafael Lopez Pintor, and Yasunori Sone, "The Limited Vote and the Single Nontransferable Vote: Lessons from the Japanese and Spanish Examples," in Grofman and Lijphart, Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences, 154-69; Steven R. Reed, "Structure and Behaviour: Extending Duverger's Law to the Japanese Case," British Journal of Political Science 20 (1990): 335-56; Gary W. Cox, "Strategic Voting Equilibria under the Single Nontransferable Vote," American Political Science Review 88 (1994): 608-21.
15. Gary W. Cox and Emerson M. S. Niou, "Seat Bonuses under the Single Nontransferable Vote System: Evidence from Japan and Taiwan," Comparative Politics 26 (1994): 221-36.
16. Mackie and Rose, The International Almanac of Electoral History, 503; John Fuhsheng Hsieh, Zhengdang bili daibiao zhi (The proportional representation system) (Taipei: Lilun yu zhengce zazhishe, 1992), 13-14.
17. Mackie and Rose, The International Almanac of Electoral History, 503; John Fuhsheng Hsieh, Zhengdang bili daibiao zhi (The proportional representation system) (Taipei: Lilun yu zhengce zazhishe, 1992), 13-14.
18. Lijphart, Democracies, 154; Taagepera and Shugart, Seats and Votes, 28; Yang Taishun, Xuanju (Election) (Taipei: Yongran, 1991), 16.
19. Lijphart, Democracies, 154; Taagepera and Shugart, Seats and Votes, 28; Yang Taishun, Xuanju (Election) (Taipei: Yongran, 1991), 16.
20. Lijphart, Democracies, 154; Taagepera and Shugart, Seats and Votes, 28; Yang Taishun, Xuanju (Election) (Taipei: Yongran, 1991), 16.
21. Joseph A. Schumpeter, Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy (New York: Harper & Row, 1976), 269.
22. See Mackie and Rose, The International Almanac of Electoral History, 508.
23. The electoral system adopted in Australia's Representative election is "alternative vote," or known as "preferential vote." It is a single-member district majority system. Ibid., 503.
24. Ibid., 276.
25. This electoral system had proven to be susceptible to manipulation by factions. Therefore, it has not been adopted in any democratic countries. However, according to Article 4 of Taiwan's Civil Organizations' Election Laws, elections within organizations (including political party) should adopt block votes. Limited voting is an exception. See Tanaka Munetaka, Riben gongzhi xuanju fa jieshuo (Japan's public officers election law), trans. Liu Hao-shan (Taipei: Central Election Commission, 1993).
26. Ibid., 16.
27. Mackie and Rose, The International Almanac of Electoral History, 276.
28. For example, after the 1986 electoral reform, with the exception of one single-member district, four two-member districts, and one six-member district, all 127 districts ranged from three to five members. See Tanaka, Riben gongzhi xuanju fa jieshuo, 16, 35-6; also Gerald L. Curtis, "Japan," in Electioneering, ed. David Butler and Austin Ranney (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1992), 223; Yang, Xuanju, 32.
29. For example, after the 1986 electoral reform, with the exception of one single-member district, four two-member districts, and one six-member district, all 127 districts ranged from three to five members. See Tanaka, Riben gongzhi xuanju fa jieshuo, 16, 35-6; also Gerald L. Curtis, "Japan," in Electioneering, ed. David Butler and Austin Ranney (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1992), 223; Yang, Xuanju, 32.
30. For example, after the 1986 electoral reform, with the exception of one single-member district, four two-member districts, and one six-member district, all 127 districts ranged from three to five members. See Tanaka, Riben gongzhi xuanju fa jieshuo, 16, 35-6; also Gerald L. Curtis, "Japan," in Electioneering, ed. David Butler and Austin Ranney (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1992), 223; Yang, Xuanju, 32.
31. Curtis, "Japan," 223.
32. Cheng Mu-hsin, Taiwan yihui zhengzhi sishi nian (Taiwan's parliamentarism over the past forty years) (Taipei: Zili wanbao, 1988), 39-46.
33. Ibid., 46.
34. There was no universal suffrage in Taiwan at the time. According to related regulations, only financially independent males above the age of twenty-five who had lived in the district for more than six months had the right to vote and to be voted for. Moreover, he had to pay an annual tax of more than five yen. See Articles 10 and 11 of Taiwan shizhi (Organizational law for Taiwan cities) and Articles 10 and 12 of Taiwan jiezhuang zhi (Organizational law for Taiwan villages), quoted in Xuanju zhi (Election records), book 1, vol. 6 of Taizhong xianzhi (Taichung county annals) (Taichung: Taichung County Government, 1989).
35. Wu Mi-cha, "Local Elections during the Japanese Colonial Period," in Xuanju zhi 1:1-36.
36. See Article 15 in "The Order for Implementing Organizational Law in Taiwan's Cities" (State order no. 11, 1935), Article 15 in "The Order for Implementing Organizational Law for Taiwan's Villages" (State order no. 12, 1935), and related regulations concerning form no. 7 (election records) in "Rules for City and Village Council Elections in Taiwan." See Xuanju zhi, book 1.
37. See Article 15 in "The Order for Implementing Organizational Law in Taiwan's Cities" (State order no. 11, 1935), Article 15 in "The Order for Implementing Organizational Law for Taiwan's Villages" (State order no. 12, 1935), and related regulations concerning form no. 7 (election records) in "Rules for City and Village Council Elections in Taiwan." See Xuanju zhi, book 1.
38. See Article 15 in "The Order for Implementing Organizational Law in Taiwan's Cities" (State order no. 11, 1935), Article 15 in "The Order for Implementing Organizational Law for Taiwan's Villages" (State order no. 12, 1935), and related regulations concerning form no. 7 (election records) in "Rules for City and Village Council Elections in Taiwan." See Xuanju zhi, book 1.
39. Wu, "Local Elections," 1; Cheng, Taiwan yihui zhengzhi sishi nian, 47.
40. Wu, "Local Elections," 1; Cheng, Taiwan yihui zhengzhi sishi nian, 47.
41. See "Regulations for Provincial Assembly Election" and "Regulations for County Council Election," both promulgated by the Nationalist government in 1944; and "Regulations for Temporary Provincial Assembly Election in Taiwan," promulgated by the Executive Yuan in 1951, in Xuanju zhi, books 1 & 2.
42. See "Regulations for Provincial Assembly Election" and "Regulations for County Council Election," both promulgated by the Nationalist government in 1944; and "Regulations for Temporary Provincial Assembly Election in Taiwan," promulgated by the Executive Yuan in 1951, in Xuanju zhi, books 1 & 2.
43. See related regulations in Articles 1 and 3 of the Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China, and Article 65 of the Public Employees Election and Recall Law.
44. Yu Ming-hsien, Lin Chiu-shan, and Chou Chen-chang, trans., Hanguo xuanju fagui huibian (Korea's electoral laws) (Taipei: Central Election Commission, June 1994).
45. The reform plan was respectively adopted by the House and the Upper House on November 2 and November 21, 1994. It was promulgated on November 25 and effective from December 25 the same year. See Lianhe bao (United Daily News) (Taipei), November 3, 1994, 9; Zhongguo shibao (China Times) (Taipei), November 23, 1994, 17; and Zhongyang ribao (Central Daily News) (Taipei), November 23, 1994, 7.
46. The reform plan was respectively adopted by the House and the Upper House on November 2 and November 21, 1994. It was promulgated on November 25 and effective from December 25 the same year. See Lianhe bao (United Daily News) (Taipei), November 3, 1994, 9; Zhongguo shibao (China Times) (Taipei), November 23, 1994, 17; and Zhongyang ribao (Central Daily News) (Taipei), November 23, 1994, 7.
47. The reform plan was respectively adopted by the House and the Upper House on November 2 and November 21, 1994. It was promulgated on November 25 and effective from December 25 the same year. See Lianhe bao (United Daily News) (Taipei), November 3, 1994, 9; Zhongguo shibao (China Times) (Taipei), November 23, 1994, 17; and Zhongyang ribao (Central Daily News) (Taipei), November 23, 1994, 7.
48. Duverger, Political Parties, 217; Duverger, "Duverger's Law: Forty Years Later," in Grofman and Lijphart, Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences, 69-84.
49. Duverger, Political Parties, 217; Duverger, "Duverger's Law: Forty Years Later," in Grofman and Lijphart, Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences, 69-84.
50. Rae, The Political Consequence of Electoral Law, 95; William H. Riker, "The Two-Party System and Duverger's Law: An Essay on the History of Political Science," American Political Science Review 76 (1982): 753-66; Giovanni Sartori, "The Influence of Electoral Systems: Faulty Laws or Faulty Method?" in Grofman and Lijphart, Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences, 58-59; Hsieh, Zhengdang bili daibiao zhi, 17-19.
51. Rae, The Political Consequence of Electoral Law, 95; William H. Riker, "The Two-Party System and Duverger's Law: An Essay on the History of Political Science," American Political Science Review 76 (1982): 753-66; Giovanni Sartori, "The Influence of Electoral Systems: Faulty Laws or Faulty Method?" in Grofman and Lijphart, Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences, 58-59; Hsieh, Zhengdang bili daibiao zhi, 17-19.
52. Rae, The Political Consequence of Electoral Law, 95; William H. Riker, "The Two-Party System and Duverger's Law: An Essay on the History of Political Science," American Political Science Review 76 (1982): 753-66; Giovanni Sartori, "The Influence of Electoral Systems: Faulty Laws or Faulty Method?" in Grofman and Lijphart, Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences, 58-59; Hsieh, Zhengdang bili daibiao zhi, 17-19.
53. Rae, The Political Consequence of Electoral Law, 95; William H. Riker, "The Two-Party System and Duverger's Law: An Essay on the History of Political Science," American Political Science Review 76 (1982): 753-66; Giovanni Sartori, "The Influence of Electoral Systems: Faulty Laws or Faulty Method?" in Grofman and Lijphart, Electoral Laws and Their Political Consequences, 58-59; Hsieh, Zhengdang bili daibiao zhi, 17-19.
54. Duverger, Political Parties, 217; Duverger, "Duverger's Law," 70.
55. Duverger, Political Parties, 217; Duverger, "Duverger's Law," 70.
56. Mackie and Rose, The International Almanac of Electoral History, 508-11.
57. Hsieh, Zhengdang bill daibiao zhi, 19.
58. Ibid.; Yang, Xuanju, 32-36.
59. Ibid.; Yang, Xuanju, 32-36.
60. V/(N + 1) + 1 is the "droop quota" used in the PR system. See Mackie and Rose, The International Almanac of Electoral History, 504. According to the rule of the quota, when there is only one candidate to be elected, if the candidate can receive half of the valid votes plus one vote, then his/her election will be guaranteed. When there are two to be elected, if the candidate can get one-third of the valid vote plus one vote, s/he can at least be the first runner-up, because no two other candidates will have more votes.
61. Reed, "Structure and Behaviour," 335-56; Cox, "Strategic Voting Equilibria," 608-21.
62. Reed, "Structure and Behaviour," 335-56; Cox, "Strategic Voting Equilibria," 608-21.
63. Ibid., 336.
64. Taagepera and Shugart, Seats and Votes, 114-16.
65. Yeh-lih Wang, "The Electoral System for Parliament Members and the Development of Party Politics," in Zhengdang zhengzhi yu minzhu xianzheng xueshu yantaohui lunwenji (Collection of papers for the conference on Party Politics and Constitutional Democracy), vol. 3 (Taipei: Democracy Foundation, 1991), 307-9; Yang, Xuanju, 36-39.
66. Yeh-lih Wang, "The Electoral System for Parliament Members and the Development of Party Politics," in Zhengdang zhengzhi yu minzhu xianzheng xueshu yantaohui lunwenji (Collection of papers for the conference on Party Politics and Constitutional Democracy), vol. 3 (Taipei: Democracy Foundation, 1991), 307-9; Yang, Xuanju, 36-39.
67. Yeh-lih Wang, "The Nomination Strategy in Multi-Member Districts," Lianhe wanbao (United Evening News) (Taipei), May 18, 1995, 2.
68. Take legislative elections, for example: "homogenous elections" refer to previous legislative elections or provincial assembly/city council elections. Voter turnout in | county/city mayoral or gubernatorial/mayoral elections often cannot be compared to those in legislative elections.
69. See note 41 above.
70. Yeh-lih Wang, "The Impact of the Electoral System and Campaign Strategy on the Year-End Elections," Zhongguo shibao, December 7, 1991, 11.
71. Gary W. Cox and Frances Rosenbluth, "The Electoral Fortunes of Legislative Factions in Japan," American Political Science Review 87 (1993): 579.
72. See note 44 above.
73. Yeh-lih Wang, "Gubernatorial and Mayoral Elections and Taiwan's Political Development" (Paper presented at the conference on "Taiwan's Political Environment after the Gubernatorial and Mayoral Elections," jointly held by the National Chengchi University Department of Political Science and the Center for Asian Studies at Chu Hai College, Hong Kong, April 22, 1995). According to a recent survey, only 40 percent of the Taiwanese people held party identification. See Zhongguo shibao, May 22, 1995, 4.
74. Yeh-lih Wang, "Gubernatorial and Mayoral Elections and Taiwan's Political Development" (Paper presented at the conference on "Taiwan's Political Environment after the Gubernatorial and Mayoral Elections," jointly held by the National Chengchi University Department of Political Science and the Center for Asian Studies at Chu Hai College, Hong Kong, April 22, 1995). According to a recent survey, only 40 percent of the Taiwanese people held party identification. See Zhongguo shibao, May 22, 1995, 4.
75. Zhongguo shibao, November 4, 1995, 2.
76. Lianhe wanbao, December 3, 1995, 9.
77. Yeh-lih Wang, "Voting Behavior in Legislative Elections," Zhengce yuekan (Policy Monthly), no. 11 (December 1, 1995): 3-5.
78. Hsieh, Zhengdang bill daibiao zhi, 21.
79. Downs, An Economic Theory of Democracy, 115-17; James M. Enelow and Melvin J. Hinich, The Spatial Theory of Voting: An Introduction (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984), 8-13; Emerson M. S. Niou and Yeh-lih Wang, "How to Win Nowadays Election?" Zhongguo luntan (China Forum) 29, no. 8 (1990): 4449.
80. Downs, An Economic Theory of Democracy, 115-17; James M. Enelow and Melvin J. Hinich, The Spatial Theory of Voting: An Introduction (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984), 8-13; Emerson M. S. Niou and Yeh-lih Wang, "How to Win Nowadays Election?" Zhongguo luntan (China Forum) 29, no. 8 (1990): 4449.
81. Downs, An Economic Theory of Democracy, 115-17; James M. Enelow and Melvin J. Hinich, The Spatial Theory of Voting: An Introduction (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1984), 8-13; Emerson M. S. Niou and Yeh-lih Wang, "How to Win Nowadays Election?" Zhongguo luntan (China Forum) 29, no. 8 (1990): 4449.
82. In multi-member districts, it is rare that a candidate can be elected solely using party identification or party mobilization and vote equalization. For example, after the KMT's Huang Fu-hsing chapter, once called the "iron vote," rusted, even candidates from the KMT's military faction had to explore other ways to gain voter support. For DPP and NP candidates, party identification might exert more influence. However, unless there is only one nominee in the district, the problem of market differentiation still exists.
83. John Fuh-sheng Hsieh, "If the System Is Not Changed, There Will Be No Party Discipline," Zhongguo shibao, May 7, 1995, 11.
84. In fact, for various reasons, such as short office terms, few Western democracies have exercised recall rights. Whether the majority voters support a representative's words and deeds and ideas are usually determined by votes in the next election.
85. Yang Yu-ling, "Multi-member Districts are a Violation of the Constitution," Faling yuekan (Law Monthly) (Taipei) 46, no. 4 (1995): 3-5.
86. Kenneth Arrow, Social Choice and Individual Values (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1963); Thomas Schwartz, The Logic of Collective Choice (New York: Columbia University Press, 1986).
87. Kenneth Arrow, Social Choice and Individual Values (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1963); Thomas Schwartz, The Logic of Collective Choice (New York: Columbia University Press, 1986).
88. Yeh-lih Wang, "When It Comes to Electoral Districts, Small Is Better Than Large," Zhongguo shibao, November 27, 1994, 11.
89. Mackie and Rose, The International Almanac of Electoral History, 158-59. If a party wins more single-member district seats than PR seats, it can keep the surplus seats.
90. see note 58 above.
91. Mackie and Rose, The International Almanac of Electoral History, 159.
92. See note 47 above.
93. In the 1994 gubernatorial and mayoral elections, the voter turnout for Taiwan province was 76.15 percent, 78.53 percent for Taipei city, and 80.58 percent for Kaohsiung City; see Lianhe bao, December 4, 1994, 1. The overall voter turnout in the 1995 legislative election was 67.70 percent; ibid., December 3, 1995, 2.
94. In the 1994 gubernatorial and mayoral elections, the voter turnout for Taiwan province was 76.15 percent, 78.53 percent for Taipei city, and 80.58 percent for Kaohsiung City; see Lianhe bao, December 4, 1994, 1. The overall voter turnout in the 1995 legislative election was 67.70 percent; ibid., December 3, 1995, 2.
95. Austin Ranney, Governing: An Introduction to Political Science (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1993), 184-87; Bruce E. Cain, The Reapportionment Puzzle (Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press, 1984).
96. Austin Ranney, Governing: An Introduction to Political Science (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1993), 184-87; Bruce E. Cain, The Reapportionment Puzzle (Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press, 1984).