Bibliographic Information

The Australian electoral system : origins, variations, and consequences

David M. Farrell and Ian McAllister

(A UNSW Press book)

UNSW Press, 2006

Available at  / 2 libraries

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Note

Includes index

Bibliography : p. 195-206

Description and Table of Contents

Description

The Australian Electoral System provides the first-ever comprehensive study of the design of Australian electoral systems. It focuses on the two electoral systems, both 'preferential', that are most closely associated with Australia: namely the alternative vote and the single transferable vote. The book covers four main themes. First, it traces the origins of Australia's electoral systems, explaining how and why Australia ended up with such a relatively unique arrangement. Second, it explores the range of variation in the detail of how the various schemes operate - variations which can have significant behavioural and electoral consequences. Third, it uses aggregate and survey data to systematically analyse the consequences of electoral system design. Fourth, it examines voter reaction to these systems, both in Australia and also cross-nationally.

Table of Contents

  • Acknowledgments
  • Abbreviations
  • 1 Australian electoral system design
  • Australian electoral systems: origins and variation
  • Studying the operation of Australia's electoral systems
  • Locating preferential electoral systems in Australia
  • Assessing Australia's electoral systems
  • 2 Australia's national electoral systems, 1902-83
  • Early debates over electoral system design
  • The 1902 Commonwealth Electoral Act
  • The adoption of AV for House of Representatives
  • Reform of the Senate electoral system, 1918-83
  • Conclusion: accident and intent in electoral system design
  • 3 Australia's contemporary electoral systems
  • Australia's evolving electoral systems
  • The alternative vote and its variants
  • The single transferable vote and its variants
  • Australia's experiments with alternatives to AV and STV
  • Conclusion
  • 4 Preferential systems and their consequences
  • AV as a non-proportional system
  • STV as a proportional system
  • Preferential systems and the fate of individual candidates
  • Conclusion
  • 5 The voter versus the party
  • Party service among election candidates
  • Candidates views of their representative roles
  • Campaign activity by Australian parliamentary candidates
  • Conclusion
  • 6 Compulsory voting, party control and the voter
  • Compulsory voting in Australia
  • Preferential voting and the strategic voter
  • Ticket voting and the 'preferential voter'
  • Compulsion, complexity and voter engagement
  • Conclusion
  • 7 Preferential systems and voter satisfaction
  • Ballot structures and democracy
  • Preferential Systems and voter satisfaction with democracy
  • Electoral systems and political attitudes
  • Conclusion
  • 8 Preferential voting and electoral system design
  • The politics of electoral system design
  • Variations in electoral system families
  • Electoral and behavioural consequences
  • From innovation to stagnation: electoral system design
  • Where to now?
  • Appendix
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
  • Index.

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Details

  • NCID
    BA84346533
  • ISBN
    • 0868408581
  • Country Code
    at
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    Sydney
  • Pages/Volumes
    ix, 215 p.
  • Size
    24 cm
  • Parent Bibliography ID
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