Greg Adams analyzed the effects of the cumulative voting system on
legislative behavior in Illinois and found greater ideological diversity
with the cumulative system, check out:
Legislative Effects of Single-Member Vs. Multi-Member Districts
Greg D. Adams
American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 40, No. 1. (Feb.,
1996), pp. 129-144.
Stable URL:
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0092-5853%28199602%2940%3A1%3C129%3ALEOSVM%3E2.0.CO%3B2-M
Abstract
This project uses mathematical logic and results from spatial
models to explain how parties in a legislature elected under a multi-member
district system will differ from those elected under single-member
plurality, holding all else constant. Under most circumstances, parties
elected under multi-member districts will be more ideologically diverse
than those elected under single-member plurality, all else being equal. The
above hypothesis is tested using interest group ratings for members of the
Illinois General Assembly, a legislative body that has used both
single-member and multi-member systems to elect its members. During the
time when the Illinois House was elected by multi-member districts and the
Senate was elected by single-member districts, parties in the House were
consistently more ideologically diverse than their counterparts in the
Senate. This difference disappears after the House adopts a single-member
district system.
At 10:57 PM 5/13/2003 -0400, Sam Issacharoff wrote:
There is a history to cumulative voting in Illinois that complicates the
issue. Until about the 1960s (this is from memory, so my dates may be off)
Illinois had cumulative voting for a number of offices, including, I
believe, the state legislature. A system emerged in which the parties
effectively did not run candidates against one of the slotted positions, so
that it locked in longstanding political deals. I do not know how stable
this was, or why it should be so. But I was surprised to find that when I
litigated a number of at-large election challenges in Illinois in the
mid-1980s there was a strong historic association of cumulative voting with
ward-boss corruption. This was a major obstacle in the first success we had
in obtaining cumulative voting through litigation and settlement in Peoria
in about 1987.
----- Original Message -----
From: <smulroy@memphis.edu>
To: "Dan Johnson-Weinberger" <djw@fairvote.org>
Cc: <election-law@majordomo.lls.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 8:39 PM
Subject: Re: Illinois election legislation
> This is great news. I've always thought that if we were to move away
> from the tyranny of the winner-take-all system, it would have to begin
> slowly and at the local level.
>
> Dan, please let me know if there's anything I can do to help.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dan Johnson-Weinberger" <proportionalrepresentation@msn.com>
> Date: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 4:10 pm
> Subject: Illinois election legislation
>
> > I think this is on-topic.
> >
> > The Illinois General Assembly has passed legislation to permit
> > county boards
> > to give cumulative voting rights in county elections.
> >
> > Many counties in Illinois use multi-seat districts without
> > cumulative voting
> > rights; the political minority is then dramatically under-represented.
> > DuPage County is the prime example (the home of U.S. Congressman
> > Henry Hyde,
> > just west of Chicago's Cook County): with 6 districts electing
> > three county
> > board members each, not a single Democrat serves on the county board.
> > Democrats typically earn at least a third of the vote in each of the
> > districts (and some Democratic statewide candidates have earned a
> > majorityof the vote in the county), but Republicans win all 18 seats.
> >
> > If voters enjoyed cumulative voting rights, it is extremely likely
> > that the
> > Democratic minority in DuPage County would elect one of the three
> > countyboard members in each of the districts, more accurately
> > reflecting the
> > electorate.
> >
> > Most of the counties that are majority Democratic use single-member
> > districts, so Republicans generally have some representation
> > (though still
> > generally under-represented).
> >
> > Governor Blagojevich has until approximately August 9th to sign the
> > legislation. The bill number is HB 138. The full text and legislative
> > history of the bill are here:
> > http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/BillStatus.asp?
> DocNum=138&GAID=3&Do
> > cTypeID=HB&LegId=353&SessionID=3
> >
> > The legislation also authorizes citizen-initiated advisory
> > referenda on the
> > structure of the county board.
> >
> > If the governor signs the bill, I'll post to the list any news of any
> > counties that take advantage of the new opportunity to grant
> > cumulativevoting rights. (There are 102 counties, about half of
> > which use multi-seat
> > districts, so I'm hoping we'll snag at least one or two). If
> > anyone would
> > like more information about the legislation, I'm happy to provide
> > it on- or
> > off-list.
> >
> > Best,
> > Dan
> > Dan Johnson-Weinberger
> > General Counsel
> > Center for Voting and Democracy
> > 325 West Huron #304
> > Chicago, IL 60610
> > www.fairvote.org
> > djw@fairvote.org
> > 312.587.7060 (office)
> > 312.933.4890 (mobile)
> > Electing a legislature?
> > Use cumulative voting in three-member districts so all voters
> > have a
> > voice
> > Electing an executive like governor, mayor or president?
> > Use instant runoff voting so the winner has a majority
> > mandate and no
> > vote is wasted
> > "Those who are saying it cannot be done should not interrupt those
> > who are
> > doing it." Chinese proverb
> >
> >
>
>
************************************************************
Professor R. B. Morton
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Politics
New York University
726 Broadway, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10003-1567
voice: 212-998-3706
fax: 212-995-4184
mailto:rbm5@nyu.edu
Directions to my office:
Easy choice: Enter at 418 Lafayette & take elevator to 7th floor.
Harder choice: Enter at 726 Broadway & take elevator to 6th floor.
Take door on left, hidden stairs on right to 7th floor.
Either way, my office is in room 748
or you can get help at the front desk.
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