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Brief Profiles of Countries, EMB’s and Partner Organisations of A-WEB

78. Single Transferable Vote (STV) – A preferential candidate achieves a given level of votes, most
candidate-centred proportional representation commonly an absolute majority (50 per cent plus
system used in multi-member districts. Candidates one), in the first election round. A Two-Round
that surpass a specified quota (see Quota (a)) of System may take a majority-plurality form, in
first-preference votes are immediately elected. In which it is possible for more than two candidates
successive counts, votes are redistributed from to contest the second round. An example is the
least successful candidates, who are eliminated, French system, in which any candidate who has
and votes surplus to the quota are redistributed received the votes of over 12.5 per cent of the
from successful candidates, until sufficient registered electorate in the first round can stand
candidates are declared elected. in the second round. The candidate who wins the
highest number of votes in the second round is
79. Spoilt votes – See Invalid votes.
then declared elected, regardless of whether they
80. State – Used in this Handbook to denote a sub- have won an absolute majority. Alternatively, a Two-
national unit of a country, often in the context of a Round System may take a majority run-off form, in
federal constitution. which only the top two candidates in the first round
contest the second round.
81. Stembusaccoord – A term of Dutch origin for a
provision which can be included in List PR systems 86. Überhangsmandat – An additional seat in a
which enables two or more parties or groupings legislature which results in an MMP system when a
which are fighting separate campaigns to reach party or grouping wins more seats in a region under
agreement that their votes will be combined for the the first, usually plurality/majority, electoral system
purpose of seat allocation. See also Apparentement than the number to which it would be entitled in
and Lema. total on the basis of its proportion of the vote. Also
known as excess mandate or overhang mandate.
82. Supplementary Vote – A candidate-centred,
preferential plurality/majority system, similar to the 87. Upper house – One of the two chambers in
Alternative Vote. If no candidate achieves an absolute a bicameral legislature, often seen either as
majority of first preferences, all candidates except containing ‘the representatives of regions/federal
the two leading candidates are eliminated and their states’ or as ‘a chamber of review’. The less
votes reallocated according to the second, third and powerful chamber when the powers of the two
so on preferences expressed. The candidate with the chambers are unequal.
highest number of votes is declared elected.
88. Wasted votes – Valid votes which do not ultimately
83. Supranational institution – an organization created count towards the election of any candidate or
by a number of countries by treaty where power party.
is held by independent appointed officials or by
representatives elected by the legislatures or people
of the member states.
84. Threshold – The minimum level of support which a
party needs to gain representation in the legislature.
A threshold may be a formal threshold, which is
a figure laid down in the constitution or the law,
usually in the form of a percentage of the valid votes
cast, or an effective or natural threshold, which is
a mathematical property of the electoral system in
use.

85. Two-Round System (TRS) – A plurality/majority
system in which a second election is held if no

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