- The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Systems
- About the Editors
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Terminology and Basic Rules of Electoral Systems
- Dimensions of Variation in Electoral Systems
- Electoral System Effects on Party Systems
- Party System Effects on Electoral Systems
- Electoral System Design in New Democracies
- Electoral System Change
- Social Diversity, Electoral Systems, and the Party System
- Electoral Systems and Ethnic Minority Representation
- Electoral Systems and Women’s Representation
- Electoral Systems and Voter Turnout
- Electoral Systems and Citizen-Elite Ideological Congruence
- Electoral Systems and Issue Polarization
- Portfolio-Maximizing Strategic Voting in Parliamentary Elections
- Presidential and Legislative Elections
- Electoral Systems and Legislative Organization
- Electoral Systems and Roles in the Legislative Arena
- Electoral Systems and Constituency Service
- Direct Democracy and Referendums
- Electoral Systems in Authoritarian States
- Election Data and Levels of Analysis
- Experimental Research Design in the Study of Electoral Systems
- Reconciling Approaches in the Study of Mixed-Member Electoral Systems
- Election Administration
- Electoral Systems and Electoral Integrity
- Electoral Systems and Redistricting
- Electoral Systems and Campaign Finance
- Electoral Systems in Context: The Netherlands
- Electoral Systems in Context: Israel
- Electoral Systems in Context: Finland
- Electoral Systems in Context: United Kingdom
- Electoral Systems in Context: Ireland
- Electoral Systems in Context: France
- Electoral Systems in Context: India
- Electoral Systems in Context: United States
- Electoral Systems in Context: Canada
- Electoral Systems in Context: Australia
- Electoral Systems in Context: Germany
- Electoral Systems in Context: New Zealand
- Electoral Systems in Context: Japan
- Electoral Systems in Context: Italy
- Electoral Systems in Context: Colombia
- Electoral Systems in Context: Ukraine
- Electoral Systems in Context: Indonesia
- Electoral Systems in Context: South Africa
- Index
Abstract and Keywords
For electoral systems to exert expected effects on voters, candidates, and parties, institutions should be durable and consistent. If political actors believe that the rules are likely to change, they may pursue strategies and tactics that seem to be at odds with the electoral system’s underlying incentive structure. This chapter evaluates how changing electoral rules in a transitional, post-Soviet society has affected political outcomes. Ukraine serves as an important case for scholars of electoral systems to illustrate consequences of institutional instability. The specific rules that Ukraine has used, coupled with a tendency to alter electoral systems after one or two elections, has promoted an inchoate and volatile party system and short-term strategic planning by politicians.
Keywords: two-round system, mixed-member majoritarian system, proportional representation, electoral system reform, Ukraine
Erik S. Herron is the Eberly Family Professor of Political Science at West Virginia University. His research focuses on political institutions, especially electoral systems. Erik has traveled extensively in Eastern Europe and Eurasia, including a term as a Fulbright scholar in Ukraine and thirteen election observation missions. He has published research in the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, World Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Electoral Studies, and other journals, and two books: Mixed Electoral Systems: Contamination and its Consequences (with Federico Ferrara and Misa Nishikawa) and Elections and Democracy after Communism.
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- The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Systems
- About the Editors
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Terminology and Basic Rules of Electoral Systems
- Dimensions of Variation in Electoral Systems
- Electoral System Effects on Party Systems
- Party System Effects on Electoral Systems
- Electoral System Design in New Democracies
- Electoral System Change
- Social Diversity, Electoral Systems, and the Party System
- Electoral Systems and Ethnic Minority Representation
- Electoral Systems and Women’s Representation
- Electoral Systems and Voter Turnout
- Electoral Systems and Citizen-Elite Ideological Congruence
- Electoral Systems and Issue Polarization
- Portfolio-Maximizing Strategic Voting in Parliamentary Elections
- Presidential and Legislative Elections
- Electoral Systems and Legislative Organization
- Electoral Systems and Roles in the Legislative Arena
- Electoral Systems and Constituency Service
- Direct Democracy and Referendums
- Electoral Systems in Authoritarian States
- Election Data and Levels of Analysis
- Experimental Research Design in the Study of Electoral Systems
- Reconciling Approaches in the Study of Mixed-Member Electoral Systems
- Election Administration
- Electoral Systems and Electoral Integrity
- Electoral Systems and Redistricting
- Electoral Systems and Campaign Finance
- Electoral Systems in Context: The Netherlands
- Electoral Systems in Context: Israel
- Electoral Systems in Context: Finland
- Electoral Systems in Context: United Kingdom
- Electoral Systems in Context: Ireland
- Electoral Systems in Context: France
- Electoral Systems in Context: India
- Electoral Systems in Context: United States
- Electoral Systems in Context: Canada
- Electoral Systems in Context: Australia
- Electoral Systems in Context: Germany
- Electoral Systems in Context: New Zealand
- Electoral Systems in Context: Japan
- Electoral Systems in Context: Italy
- Electoral Systems in Context: Colombia
- Electoral Systems in Context: Ukraine
- Electoral Systems in Context: Indonesia
- Electoral Systems in Context: South Africa
- Index