Electoral System : Presidents

Methods for selecting presidentsCountries included in the

study(170)

Republics(132)

President directly elected

(91)

Majority Method (61)

Majority Method (61)

Monarchies(38)

President Indirectly elected or non-elected

(41)

Other(12)

Plurality Method(20) Mixed or

other method(10)

Indirect Election• Occurs when office –holders are elected by a body which has itself been chosen by a wider constituency.

• Widely used within communist parties as a device for limiting democratic expression.

Three features of Presidential Elections1. The length of the term

2. The Possibility of re-election

3.The link of other elections

1. The length of the term-the presidential term is normally no shorter and sometimes longer than for

parliament2. The possibility of re-

election-term limits are often imposed restricting the incumbent to just one or two periods in

office

Methods for electing presidents: Some Examples

Country Methods of Election

Terms (Years)

Re-election Permitted?

Argentina Electoral College

6 After one term out

Brazil Run off 5 After one term out

Finland Plurality YesFrance Run off YesMexico Plurality NoRussia Run off One term out

required after two terms limit

United States

Electoral College

Two terms limit

How do you decide who to vote for?

Party Identifica

tion

Voting- an act of affirmation rather than choice.(Campbell

et al,.1960)United States

(Part Identification

)Party attachment was confirmed by the

traditional requirement to

register as a party support to be

eligible to vote in its primaries.

Think of themselves as Democrats ,Republicans

or in a minority cases ,as independents.

Europe(Social Group)

Voting expressed loyalty to a social group than a party

Thought of themselves as a Catholic or Protestants,

Party Identification- a long-term attachment to a particular party with anchors voters’ interpretations of the remote world of politics.Decline in Party Identification (1970s- 1990s)Decline over 10% Decline 1-10% No Decline

Austria Australia Belgium Canada Finland DenmarkFrance JapanGermany NetherlandsIreland New ZealandItaly NorwaySweden UKUnited States of America

What are caused of the decline in party loyalties?1. Political- decay was not in uniform but tended to be focused on periods of disillusionment with governing parties.2. Party Dealignment-declining Capacity of social cleavages' to fashion electoral choice.

Partisan Dealignment –refers to the weakening of bonds, between (a) electors and parties (b.)social groups and parties