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TOPIC 7: THE ELECTION SYSTEM

PAD 240 GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
 CONTENT
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i. Definition of Election
ii. Theories of Franchise
▪ Limited Franchise
▪ Universal Franchise
iii. Factors which influence voter behavior
iv. Defining electoral areas
▪ Single – member constituency
▪ Multiple – member constituency
v. Process of election in Malaysia
▪ Election Commission of Malaysia (SPR)
 DEFINITION OF VOTERS
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1. Voters can be defined as people or citizens who enjoy the

rights to elect their representatives or who has a legal
right to vote.
2. They exercise the power of voting and periodically elect
their representatives.
3. They are small fraction of the whole population.
4. The entire body of voters or electors is known as
electorate (the whole population minus those (at any
time) are denied the right to vote).
 DEFINITION OF ELECTIONS
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“Election is an organised process in which people choose a

person, to a position of public importance such as
presidency, or a group of people to represent them in
national or state assemblies”
(S.S. Islam & A.R. Moten)

This process involves the following:

1. the act of selecting someone or something;
2. the exercise of deliberate choice;
3. casting votes to select the winner of a position or
political office
4. can be held in many settings from students’ unions to
corporate office or national polling;
 FUNCTIONS OF ELECTIONS
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1. Elections are the means to render governments

accountable to the governed.
2. Elections are the means to choose those who will guide
and direct affairs of the government.
3. Elections provide legitimacy to the government.
4. Elections are expected to convince the outside world that
the government has mass support.
5. Elections serve the function of mobilisation or change.
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Theories of Franchise
 THEORIES OF FRANCHISE
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 Franchise – refers to the rights to vote granted to citizens by

the State in a country.

 One of the most difficult problems of democracy is, what

should be the true basis of franchise?

 Two prominent schools of thought or theories:

1. Universal franchise
2. Limited franchise.
 1. Universal Franchise/Suffrage
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 This school emerged in the eighteenth century – i.e. when the

doctrines of natural rights, equality of men, and popular
sovereignty were favourite themes of every political thinker.
 Idea :
1. Sovereignty ultimately resided in the people and it was the
right of every citizen to vote and participate in the
determination of the policy of government.
2. Democracy postulated equality of men and political equality
could be assured only when all citizens were granted the right
to vote.
3. To safeguard and represent the interests of all elements of
population, it was essential that everyone must possess the
right to have his / her opinion counted in the final decision of
public affairs.
 2. Limited Franchise/Suffrage
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 This school was led by Bluntschli, Lecky, J.S. Mills and Sir
Henry Maine which against the idea of universal suffrage.
 Idea :
1. It is suggested that all citizens of the State should not
possess the right to vote
2. Franchise was not an inherent right of a citizen. It was a
right which was conferred by the State and should not
granted to all.
3. It was a sacred right which required an informal exercise
of judgment in the election of representatives.
4. To extend it to the unenlightened and ignorant masses
was to invite dark days for democracy.
 THE MODERN VIEW IN REGARD TO
THE NATURE OF SUFFRAGE
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 Universal suffrage admitted that universal suffrage meant

universal adult suffrage (male and female). Thus it may not
grant the suffrage to those who are not capable to make
decision such as minor, lunatics and the aliens.
 Suffrage is conferred by the State upon only such persons as
are believed to be most capable of exercising it for the public
good and not a natural right which belongs without
distinction to all citizens of the State - depends on the
State’s electoral laws.
 The modern view in regard to the nature
of suffrage (cont…)
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Requirement/Qualifications to vote
i. Citizenship
ii. Maturity/Rationality (Age)
iii. Equal rights for voting
iv. Registered voters
v. Voluntary election
vi. Compulsory election voting
 The modern view in regard to the nature
of suffrage (cont…)
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 Groups that had always been excluded from the right to

vote are:
1. The minors
2. The lunatics or idiots
3. The aliens
4. The criminals in confinement etc.
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FACTORS THAT
INFLUENCE VOTERS
 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE VOTERS
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Why do people vote the way they do?

Some factors are related to the voters and some are related
to the candidates or parties.
1. Sociological factors – ethical values, civic duty, social
pressures, parental influence etc

2. Demographic factors – gender, age, residence etc

3. Religion and ethnic background – people tend to vote

parties or candidates from the same religion or ethnic
group
 Factors That Influence Voters (cont…)
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4. Social class, income, and occupation

United States:
Republican:-Upper and middle classes go for the GOP
(Grand old Party-anti- slavery expansion activist);
Democrat:- Lower classes go for Democrats;
Unions vote Democrat, while professionals and business
people support the Republicans.

5. The candidates - the impression a particular candidate

makes on the voters can have an impact on their
preferences.

6. Psychological factors - what is in the mind of the voters:

their perceptions of parties, candidates, and issues.
 Factors That Influence Voters (cont…)
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7. Mass media – six main functions

i. Entertaining i.e. Stimulate discussion of important issues
by presenting them in dramatic form
ii. Reporting the news: a primary function of the media in a
democratic society
iii. Identifying public problems: a crucial role that helps to
set the public agenda
iv. Socializing new generations: the content of media,
particularly television, offers children and immigrants a
view of the basic (American and others) values
v. Providing a political forum: offers citizens a way to
participate in the public debate
vi. Making profits: the various media are privately owned
businesses. This makes for a complex relationship and
balance among public opinion, government, and the
media.
 DEFINITION OF CONSTITUENCY
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 A constituency refers to an electoral area or

district.
 The place is demarcated or separated.
 The voters who live within the territorial limits of
that constituency (are known as constituents) and
elect a representative or representatives.
 The numbers and boundaries of the constituencies
will be revised from time to time.
 The process of revising the constituency sometimes
is called “gerrymandering” process.
 CLASSIFICATIONS OF REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEMS
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The most common classifications made by scholars or

political scientists are the following:

1. Geographical System or District or Territorial System:

Single-Member District Plurality System (SMDP)

2. Proportional System: (List System and Hare or Single

Transferable Vote)
19 (1)
GEOGRAPHICAL /SINGLE
DISTRICT / TERRITORIAL
SYSTEM
 Geographical/District /Territorial System
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➢ This system of electing representatives is based on the

territory
➢ One representative will be elected to represent a particular
constituency
➢ Majority system electoral formula usually used in single-
member constituency according to which the candidate who
receives the majority of votes cast is elected.
➢ Members of House of Representative in Malaysia are elected
through ‘First Past the Post’ (FPTP) system.
➢ The system operates in single-member constituencies – i.e.
each constituency elects one member.
 Geographical/District /Territorial System
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➢ There are two options: absolute majority (the candidate who

obtained 50%+1 of votes cast is elected) or simple majority or
plurality (the candidate who obtained the largest number of
votes cast is elected) ·

➢ In Majoritarian electoral systems, winning candidates are

those having attracted the most votes in a given electoral
district.

➢ Majoritarian systems differ according to the number of

representatives elected in an electoral district and the kinds
of majorities (simple or absolute) that winners must achieve.
 Geographical/District /Territorial System (cont…)

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➢ The systems are commonly found in countries that have

inherited elements of the British parliamentary system.
➢ In electoral districts, they are represented by one member in
an elected assembly.
➢ Each elector marks a single "X" (or other similar mark)
beside the name of the candidate of his or her choice.
➢ This kind of electoral system is referred to as a "single-
member plurality" or a "first past the post" system.
➢ Many countries have used First-Past-the-Post including the
UK, USA, Canada, India, Belize, Guyana, 10 Asian states
including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Malaysia, many
South Pacific Islands, some Caribbean nations and 18
African countries including Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe .
 Merits of Geographical system
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1. Establishes a more intimate relationship between

candidates and voters.
2. Reflect a clear majority in the legislature to one
political party.
3. Encourage voters to carefully select the candidates
and facilitate voters to select because number of
candidates are limited.
4. The system is easy to understand and easy to
determine the winner.
5. Lesser time taken to count the votes and determine
the winning candidates.
 Demerits of Geographical system
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1. Geographical system has, however, become less

relevant to political identity (e.g.: gender, cultural,
ethnic, religious and social interests)
 despite the role of federal political structures in

sustaining differences based on it.

 it is less relevant that the state boundaries define

communities of interest

2. Require constant revision of constituencies

 lead to gerrymandering.
 Demerits of Geographical system (cont…)
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3. Create artificial majority in legislature

 As the voters will have limited candidates

4. The representatives may have a very narrow idea of

representation
 As the representatives will represent the local and

not the whole nation interest

5. Representation of minorities
 less ensured.
 Example of FPTP
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27 (2)

PROPORTIONAL
SYSTEM
 PROPORTIONAL SYSTEM
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1. The second major category of representative system is known

as proportional representation or PR.
2. PR systems are specifically designed to allocate seats in
proportion to votes, in the hope that assemblies and
governments will accurately reflect the preferences of the
electorate.
3. In other words, PR a family of electoral systems, where the
seats are allocated on proportional basis according to the
number of votes cast for each candidate or political party.
4. PR systems are of two basic types:
1. Party List Systems (E.g.: Turkey, Israel, Guyana)
2. Single Transferable Vote (STV) Systems or Hare System
(E.g.: Ireland and New Zealand)
 Proportional System (cont..)
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 PR systems are now the most frequently used

electoral systems in western democracies

 Under PR, political parties are assigned a number

of seats in parliament corresponding to the degree
of support they have received in a given electoral
district
 Proportional System (cont..)
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1. Party List System

 All the political parties are asked to draw up a name list of
candidates.
 The no. of party candidates should be the same no of seats.
 The voter would then only need to select the party of his
choice to show his preferences among the candidates of a
party.
 The seats are divided among the parties in proportion to
the no of votes each list had gained.
➢ The system is simple as the voter only need to select the
party that he like & by selecting it, he votes for the entire
list of candidates of the party he has selected.
 Example of Party List Systems
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 Proportional System (cont..)
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2. Single Transferable Vote

 The voters in this system need to give 1, 2, 3 & so forth in

according to their preferences.

 This system allows the election of representatives by general

ticket, & each voter has only one effective vote.

 The candidate, in order to be elected requires a certain quota
of votes.
st
 In counting the votes, only the 1 preference are counted & a

candidate getting the required quota is declared winner.

➢ No vote to be lost & assured that the voters 2
nd choice will

benefits from the votes.

➢ This system is complex & hard to understand to the ordinary

voter.
➢ Mistake in counting & recounting the votes.
 Example of STV
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_2_ Jones
___ Smith
_1_ Brown
_5_ Black
_3_ Green
___ Grey
_4_ Wood
___ Stone
___ Clark
___ Etc.
 Elements of PR System
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There are two elements that all forms of PR have:

1. Representatives or legislative bodies are elected using multi-

member districts (A multi-member electoral district
(MMD) is an electoral district electing more than one
representative to office), instead of single-member districts
(A single member electoral district (SMD) is an electoral
district electing only one representative to office).

2. Those multi-member seats are divided up by the proportion

of votes a party or group receives. So if Party A gets 40% of
the vote, they deserve 40% of the seats.
 Merits of Propositional Representative Systems
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1. Voters, the majority and minority will have their

preferences represented in a more accurate and fair way.
2. Increase responsiveness among representatives to the
voters.
3. Ensure the accountability of the representatives.
4. Avoiding waste of votes.
5. Voters have more freedom and choices in selecting
representatives.
6. Encourage governments to tolerate to criticisms.
7. Avoid ‘under-representation’ – interests or ideas or values
especially in women participation.
 Demerits of Propositional Representative Systems
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1. Some critics point out that PR systems encourage

the emergence of extreme views.
2. PR systems are also criticized for the complexity of
their balloting process and the way in which votes
are tallied.
3. PR systems generally produce coalitions. Thus,
when casting their ballots in a PR system, voters are
not electing a government.
4. Of necessity, this arrangement dictates that all PR
systems rely on multi-member districts (must have
many representatives).
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THE MALAYSIAN
ELECTION
COMMISSION
 THE MALAYSIAN ELECTION COMMISSION (EC)
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 This institution was firstly formed on 4th September 1957

through Articles 113 and 114 of the Constitution of the
Federation of Malaya.

 It provided for the appointment of a Chairman and three

members.

 In 1981, Article 114 of the Federal Constitution was

amended to provide for the appointment of a Deputy
Chairman.
 Formation of EC
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 Article 114(1) – the Commission shall be constituted by

the King (YDPA) after consulting the Conference of
Rulers.

 The King acts upon the advice of the Prime Minister (and
the sitting members of his cabinet).

 This implies the relations between the Commission and

the sitting government – that led to the question on the
Commission’s independence.
 Members of the EC
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• Members are appointed through Article 114(1).

• Three principal members:

i. Chairman
ii. Deputy Chairman
iii. Five other members

• Terms of service:
i. Members shall hold office until they reach the age of 66
ii. They may resign by writing to the King
iii. They may not be removed from their office but,
iv. They may be removed under condition similar in manner
to remove a judge of the Federal or High Courts.
 Members of the EC (cont…)
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Any member can be removed by the King if he or she:

1. Is an undercharged bankrupt, or
2. Engages in any paid office or employment outside the
duties of his office, or
3. Is a member of either House of Parliament or of the
Legislative Assembly of a state, or
4. His or her behaviour inappropriate of this office, or
5. Unable to discharge his or her duties due to:
➢ State of his or her health, or
➢ Mental condition
 Functions of the EC
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 The functions of the Commission are stipulated in various

sections of Articles of 113 to 120 and also in the Thirteenth
Schedule of the Federal Constitution.

 Some of the main functions are as follows:

i. Conduct election
ii. Prepare and revise Electoral Roll
iii. Review the division of the federal and state
constituencies
iv. Make rules
 The probable weaknesses committed by the EC
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i. Non-updated of electoral roles

ii. Slow & late verification of registered voters
iii. Inadequacy of polling manpower & facilities
iv. Inadequacy of polling centre geographical indicator
(route/road map)
v. Causal of recounting votes