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Embedded inequality in plurality-based systems -- Winner-take-all FPTP and Block Voting

Tom Monto

Updated: 6 days ago

plurality-based systems where local member or members can be elected with only a plurality of votes, such as Block voting or single-winner FPTP, allows the leading party to win seats more affordably than the other parties do.


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BC 1933-1949

Under BC's mixture of Block voting in MMDs and FPTP in single-member districts, votes were weighed unequally in historic BC elections,  with Liberals then Liberals and Conservatives getting the benefit,   versus opposition parties

                                                        COST IN VOTES TO GET A SEAT

                                                        government party            opp. parties

1933    Lib maj  42 pc of vote                  4547                        17,083

1937    Lib maj 37 pc of vote                    5035                        15,403

1941   Coalition  Lib                                 7100                        10,939

                           Conservative                 11,690

1945      Coalition majority   56 pc of votes  7254                    18,782

1949       Coalition majority                      10,802                     33,220.


so you saw under BC's district-plurality based system, Liberal or Lib-Conservative Coalition getting each of their seats with fewer votes than the CCF, Social Credit, Communists and Independents time after time.

likely this result has not changed in BC since 1949, even afr change to strictly single-winner FPTP in 1990.


basic stats from Glashan PR in Canada 1951 available online, with supplemental info from Wiki article for each BC election


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History | Tom Monto Montopedia is a blog about the history, present, and future of Edmonton, Alberta. Run by Tom Monto, Edmonton historian. Fruits of my research, not complete enough to be included in a book, and other works.

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