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proportional representation

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noun
a method of voting by which political parties are given legislative representation in proportion to their popular vote.
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Origin of proportional representation

First recorded in 1865–70

Words nearby proportional representation

proportional, proportional counter, proportional font, proportionality, proportional limit, proportional representation, proportional spacing, proportionate, proportioned, proportionment, proposal
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to proportional representation

cumulative voting

How to use proportional representation in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for proportional representation

proportional representation
noun
representation of parties in an elective body in proportion to the votes they winAbbreviation: PR Compare: first-past-the-post
See also Additional Member System, Alternative Vote, party list, Single Transferable Vote
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for proportional representation

proportional representation

An electoral system in which seats in a legislature are awarded to each party on the basis of its share of the popular vote. The United States does not use a system of proportional representation. Membership in the Senate and the House of Representatives, for example, is based on individual candidates' receiving a majority of votes. Such a system strongly encourages the formation of only two major political parties.

notes for proportional representation

In Israel and some nations in Europe, a system of proportional representation guarantees that small parties will have official recognition in the government, thus leading to a multiparty government.

notes for proportional representation

Though proportional representation has been attempted in a few American cities, many American politicians argue that it tends to fragment the government, preventing quick and decisive action.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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