In a parliamentary vote each member of an assembly, often of a deliberative body such as parliament, has the opportunity to participate in debate on proposals presented for consideration. These are known as motions and they generally require a certain number of votes for their passage. To make a motion, a member ordinarily rises and addresses the presiding officer to request recognition and then offers the proposal for consideration by the assembly. Depending on the type of assembly a motion may be classified as main or secondary and it typically requires two-thirds of the votes for its passage. A vote on a main motion is usually held ahead of any other question or business and it generally requires that the whole assembly consider the matter before it is finally decided.
Most democracies in the world today use a parliamentary system rather than a presidential system. The advantage of a parliamentary system is that it allows small and minority parties to be represented in government. This minimizes the tensions between societies that sometimes develop when one party dominates a democracy.
In a parliamentary vote, voters mark their ballot papers with a first preference and then second preferences (if any are made). The candidates with the highest total of first preferences are elected. If a candidate does not achieve the required quota then they are eliminated and their second preferences are transferred to the remaining candidates. This process continues until a candidate has a majority of the remaining first preference votes. This method of election is used in countries that follow the Westminster model such as England, Scotland and Wales, and devolved nations in Northern Ireland and Wales, as well as by the European Parliament from 1979 to 2019.
About the Author
