Overview of All Simulations

Introduction

This page summarizes all of the modelling. Other pages focus on the systems I find most interesting and on modelling done at the request of the ERRE Committee.

Proportionality

Alternative Vote-200630809%-3%-6%5%-4%9.4%18.5%49%89%2006
Alternative Vote-200830803%5%-5%4%-7%7.7%15.8%49%91%2008
Alternative Vote-20113080-3%9%5%-6%-4%8.8%19.3%50%94%2011
Alternative Vote-2015338021%-7%-6%-4%-3%16.8%21.9%48%94%2015
Alternative Vote-2019338017%-1%-8%0%-6%13.8%19.4%49%88%2019
Alternative Vote-2021338016%0%-9%1%-2%13.3%18.4%48%91%2021
First-Past-The-Post-200630803%4%-8%6%-4%8.6%16.6%49%89%2006
First-Past-The-Post-20083080-1%9%-6%6%-7%9.9%17.1%49%90%2008
First-Past-The-Post-20113080-8%14%3%-5%-4%12.4%22.8%50%94%2011
First-Past-The-Post-2015338015%-3%-7%-2%-3%12.0%17.2%48%94%2015
First-Past-The-Post-2019338013%1%-9%2%-6%12.2%18.1%49%89%2019
First-Past-The-Post-2021338014%1%-10%2%-2%13.2%18.8%48%91%2021
mmp_med-MMP_AV-20152111276%-2%-0%-1%-3%5.1%5.6%46%96%2015
mmp_med-MMP_AV-20192111276%-0%-1%-0%-2%4.7%5.7%47%95%2019
mmp_med-MMP_AV-20212111275%0%0%-1%-1%3.8%5.2%46%95%2021
MMP
(Medium Regions, FPTP)-2015
2111274%-1%0%-0%-2%3.6%4.4%47%97%2015
MMP
(Medium Regions, FPTP)-2019
2111274%0%0%-0%-2%3.4%4.6%48%95%2019
MMP
(Medium Regions, FPTP)-2021
2111273%1%1%-0%-1%2.7%4.7%46%95%2021
mmp_small-MMP_AV-20152121267%-2%-0%-1%-3%5.3%6.2%46%95%2015
mmp_small-MMP_AV-20192121266%-1%1%-1%-3%5.3%6.4%47%93%2019
mmp_small-MMP_AV-20212121266%-0%-0%-1%-1%4.9%6.7%46%93%2021
Mixed Member Proportional
(Small Regions)-2015
2121265%-1%-0%-0%-3%3.8%4.7%47%95%2015
Mixed Member Proportional
(Small Regions)-2019
2121265%0%-0%0%-3%4.5%5.8%48%92%2019
Mixed Member Proportional
(Small Regions)-2021
2121264%1%-0%0%-1%3.8%5.6%46%93%2021
Single Transferable Vote
(Medium-sized Regions)-2015
33803%0%1%-0%-3%3.0%4.1%96%97%2015
Single Transferable Vote
(Medium-sized Regions)-2019
33803%1%-0%0%-2%3.2%4.4%95%97%2019
Single Transferable Vote
(Medium-sized Regions)-2021
33803%3%-0%0%-2%4.2%5.4%94%96%2021
Single Transferable Vote
(Small Regions)-2015
33806%-0%-2%-1%-3%5.2%6.4%90%93%2015
Single Transferable Vote
(Small Regions)-2019
33805%3%-2%1%-5%5.8%8.9%85%90%2019
Single Transferable Vote
(Small Regions)-2021
33804%5%-1%0%-2%6.1%9.0%85%89%2021

Footnotes

  1. Number of Local MPs is the total number of MPs representing specific ridings. Those ridings may be either single-member ridings or multi-member.
  2. Number of Regional MPs is the total number of MPs that represent multiple ridings. This happens in systems with top-up seats such as MMP and RU-PR.
  3. Over-Representation by Party is the percentage of MPs in Parliament minus the percentage of the popular vote. For example, in 2015 under FPTP the Liberals received 54.4% of the seats but only 39.5% of the vote for an over-representation of (54.4 - 39.5) = 14.9%. Negative numbers mean the party was under-represented.
  4. Gallagher Index is a measure of disproportionality. It combines both over and under-representation for each party into a single number. Gallagherindicies less than 5 are excellent.
  5. Gallagher Index 2015 is the Gallagher Index for the simulated 2015 election.
  6. Gallagher Index Composite is the average of the Gallagher Indices for each province and territory, weighted by its number of seats. This corrects for a problem in calculating the Gallagher Index for the nation as a whole, which can can hide regional disproportionalities such as the significant over-representation of Conservatives in the Prairies offsetting the over-representation of Liberals in the Maritimes.
  7. % Voters with Preferred Local MP is the percentage of voters who have an MP representing their riding from the same party as their first choice candidate. Systems with multi-member ridings will do better under this measure.
  8. % Voters with Preferred Regional MP is the percentage of voters who have an MP representing their region from the same party as their first choice candidate. Systems with top-up seats will do better under this measure.
  9. Short System Name is a very consise abbreviation of the key parameters for this simulation.

Model Summary

Proportional electoral systems have many design parameters that can be tweaked. This table has two rows for each model. The bottom row applies to the riding; the top row applies to the region.

The first column of that table gives the name of the riding design (top) and the election algorithm used and the year of the election it's based on (bottom). The riding design specifies a particular mapping from old (e.g. 2015) ridings to new ridings, how the new ridings are gathered into regions, and finally how the regions are gathered by province. Riding designs are described in more detail at the bottom of this page and by following the riding design link.

Region# Tot Seats% SeatsAvg # Seats/RegionAvg #Reg/ProvAvg Adjust Seats / Region
RidingYear# Tot Seats% SeatsAvg # Seats/Riding% Single% MultipleComp. Gallagher
fptp00%0.01.0
AV2006308100%1.0100%0%18.5%
fptp00%0.01.0
AV2008308100%1.0100%0%15.8%
fptp00%0.01.0
AV2011308100%1.0100%0%19.3%
fptp00%0.01.0
AV2015338100%1.0100%0%21.9%
fptp00%0.01.0
AV2019338100%1.0100%0%19.4%
fptp00%0.01.0
AV2021338100%1.0100%0%18.4%
fptp00%0.01.0
MMP_FPTP2006308100%1.0100%0%16.6%
fptp00%0.01.0
MMP_FPTP2008308100%1.0100%0%17.1%
fptp00%0.01.0
MMP_FPTP2011308100%1.0100%0%22.8%
fptp00%0.01.0
MMP_FPTP2015338100%1.0100%0%17.2%
fptp00%0.01.0
MMP_FPTP2019338100%1.0100%0%18.1%
fptp00%0.01.0
MMP_FPTP2021338100%1.0100%0%18.8%
mmp_med12738%12.92.6
MMP_AV201521162%1.0100%0%5.6%
mmp_med12738%12.92.6
MMP_AV201921162%1.0100%0%5.7%
mmp_med12738%12.92.6
MMP_AV202121162%1.0100%0%5.2%
mmp_med12738%12.92.6
MMP_FPTP201521162%1.0100%0%4.4%
mmp_med12738%12.92.6
MMP_FPTP201921162%1.0100%0%4.6%
mmp_med12738%12.92.6
MMP_FPTP202121162%1.0100%0%4.7%
mmp_small12637%8.04.2
MMP_AV201521263%1.0100%0%6.2%
mmp_small12637%8.04.2
MMP_AV201921263%1.0100%0%6.4%
mmp_small12637%8.04.2
MMP_AV202121263%1.0100%0%6.7%
mmp_small12637%8.04.2
MMP_FPTP201521263%1.0100%0%4.7%
mmp_small12637%8.04.2
MMP_FPTP201921263%1.0100%0%5.8%
mmp_small12637%8.04.2
MMP_FPTP202121263%1.0100%0%5.6%
stv_med00%0.01.0
STV2015338100%10.910%90%4.1%
stv_med00%0.01.0
STV2019338100%10.910%90%4.4%
stv_med00%0.01.0
STV2021338100%10.910%90%5.4%
stv_small00%0.02.8
STV2015338100%4.15%95%6.4%
stv_small00%0.02.8
STV2019338100%4.15%95%8.9%
stv_small00%0.02.8
STV2021338100%4.15%95%9.0%

Riding Design Descriptions

fptp

Canada's riding design from 2006 through 2011: 308 single-member ridings with no compensatory seats. Thisdesign can be used with either FPTP or Alternative Vote.

fptp

Canada's riding design from 2006 through 2011: 308 single-member ridings with no compensatory seats. Thisdesign can be used with either FPTP or Alternative Vote.

fptp

Canada's riding design from 2006 through 2011: 308 single-member ridings with no compensatory seats. Thisdesign can be used with either FPTP or Alternative Vote.

fptp

Canada's current riding design: 338 single-member ridings with no compensatory seats. Thisdesign can be used with either FPTP or Alternative Vote.

fptp

Canada's current riding design: 338 single-member ridings with no compensatory seats. Thisdesign can be used with either FPTP or Alternative Vote.

fptp

Canada's current riding design: 338 single-member ridings with no compensatory seats. Thisdesign can be used with either FPTP or Alternative Vote.

mmp_med

MMP with medium-sized regions

mmp_med

MMP with medium-sized regions

mmp_med

MMP with medium-sized regions

mmp_small

MMP with small regions

mmp_small

MMP with small regions

mmp_small

MMP with small regions

stv_med

STV (Single Transferable Vote) with medium-sized ridings that average 10.9 seats each. The three territories are left as single-member ridings and PEI is of necessity only 4 seats. All other ridings are 7 seats or larger -- ranging up to one with 18 seats.

This particular grouping of ridings is based on work by Antony Hodgson, President of Fair Voting BC.

stv_med

STV (Single Transferable Vote) with medium-sized ridings that average 10.9 seats each. The three territories are left as single-member ridings and PEI is of necessity only 4 seats. All other ridings are 7 seats or larger -- ranging up to one with 18 seats.

This particular grouping of ridings is based on work by Antony Hodgson, President of Fair Voting BC.

stv_med

STV (Single Transferable Vote) with medium-sized ridings that average 10.9 seats each. The three territories are left as single-member ridings and PEI is of necessity only 4 seats. All other ridings are 7 seats or larger -- ranging up to one with 18 seats.

This particular grouping of ridings is based on work by Antony Hodgson, President of Fair Voting BC.

stv_small

STV (Single Transferable Vote) with smaller ridings that average 4.1 seats each. The three territories and Labrador are left as single-member ridings. There are 5 two seat ridings in large, sparsely populated areas. Most ridings have four seats and the largest is eight.

This particular grouping of ridings is based on work by Antony Hodgson, President of Fair Voting BC.

stv_small

STV (Single Transferable Vote) with smaller ridings that average 4.1 seats each. The three territories and Labrador are left as single-member ridings. There are 5 two seat ridings in large, sparsely populated areas. Most ridings have four seats and the largest is eight.

This particular grouping of ridings is based on work by Antony Hodgson, President of Fair Voting BC.

stv_small

STV (Single Transferable Vote) with smaller ridings that average 4.1 seats each. The three territories and Labrador are left as single-member ridings. There are 5 two seat ridings in large, sparsely populated areas. Most ridings have four seats and the largest is eight.

This particular grouping of ridings is based on work by Antony Hodgson, President of Fair Voting BC.

Election Strategy Descriptions

Election strategies are the specifics of how ballots are counted to determine which candidate fills a seat. Each strategy has three parts: how single-member ridings are handled, how multi-member ridings are handled, and finally how top-up or adjustment seats are handled.

AV

Single-Member Ridings:

During the election in each riding, votes were transferred in two steps. First, if a member of party X is eliminated and there are other members of party X still in the race, ALL of the votes are split equally between the remaining members of party X.

When the last member of a party is eliminated, the votes are transferred according to the following table.

Xfer from↓ to→BlocCHPComConGrnIndLbtLibM-LNDPOthPPC
Bloc23142010
CHP
Com
Con610121812
Grn1581622
Ind
Lbt
Lib2178462
M-L
NDP21218393
Oth
PPC30

This table is based on 2021 Ipsos polling reported here augmented with guesses about PPC transfers and Green transfers.

Ideally, we would have different tables for each region of the country (at least Quebec and the rest of Canada) as well as for each election year. But we don’t. The same table is currently used everywhere.

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/news-polls/canadians-remain-open-to-changing-their-vote-as-debates-loom

Multi-Member Ridings:

An election strategy for where none are applicable. For example, for multi-member ridings in a FPTP simulation.

Top-up or Adjustments:

A placeholder election strategy for where no top-up strategy is applicable.

FPTP

Single-Member Ridings:

After collapsing all candidates running for the same party into one virtual candiate, choose the virtual candidate with the most votes.

Multi-Member Ridings:

An election strategy for where none are applicable. For example, for multi-member ridings in a FPTP simulation.

Top-up or Adjustments:

A placeholder election strategy for where no top-up strategy is applicable.

MMP_AV

Single-Member Ridings:

During the election in each riding, votes were transferred in two steps. First, if a member of party X is eliminated and there are other members of party X still in the race, ALL of the votes are split equally between the remaining members of party X.

When the last member of a party is eliminated, the votes are transferred according to the following table.

Xfer from↓ to→BlocCHPComConGrnIndLbtLibM-LNDPOthPPC
Bloc1961628
CHP
Com
Con81710
Grn1581622
Ind
Lbt
Lib3121045
M-L
NDP661353
Oth
PPC

This table is based on Ekos polling performed just before the 2015 election which asked for voters' second choice party. As Wilf Day has pointed out,

On Oct. 14 it had Liberals at 33.5%, Conservatives 32.6%, NDP 22.9%, Greens 5.6%, Bloc 3.4%. However, the E-day figures were Liberal 39.5%, Conservatives 31.9%, NDP 19.7%, Green 3.4%, and Bloc 4.7%. Obviously a lot of NDP and Green second-choices for Liberals had switched by E-day

However, it appears to be the best data we have.

Source: http://www.ekospolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/full_report_october_15_2015.pdf

Multi-Member Ridings:

An election strategy for where none are applicable. For example, for multi-member ridings in a FPTP simulation.

Top-up or Adjustments:

Iteratively choose the most disadvantaged party.

MMP_FPTP

Single-Member Ridings:

After collapsing all candidates running for the same party into one virtual candiate, choose the virtual candidate with the most votes.

Multi-Member Ridings:

An election strategy for where none are applicable. For example, for multi-member ridings in a FPTP simulation.

Top-up or Adjustments:

Iteratively choose the most disadvantaged party.

STV

Single-Member Ridings:

During the election in each riding, votes were transferred in two steps. First, if a member of party X is eliminated and there are other members of party X still in the race, ALL of the votes are split equally between the remaining members of party X.

When the last member of a party is eliminated, the votes are transferred according to the following table.

Xfer from↓ to→BlocCHPComConGrnIndLbtLibM-LNDPOthPPC
Bloc23142010
CHP
Com
Con610121812
Grn1581622
Ind
Lbt
Lib2178462
M-L
NDP21218393
Oth
PPC30

This table is based on 2021 Ipsos polling reported here augmented with guesses about PPC transfers and Green transfers.

Ideally, we would have different tables for each region of the country (at least Quebec and the rest of Canada) as well as for each election year. But we don’t. The same table is currently used everywhere.

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/news-polls/canadians-remain-open-to-changing-their-vote-as-debates-loom

Multi-Member Ridings:

During the election in each riding, votes were transferred in two steps. First, if a member of party X is eliminated and there are other members of party X still in the race, ALL of the votes are split equally between the remaining members of party X.

When the last member of a party is eliminated, the votes are transferred according to the following table.

Xfer from↓ to→BlocCHPComConGrnIndLbtLibM-LNDPOthPPC
Bloc23142010
CHP
Com
Con610121812
Grn1581622
Ind
Lbt
Lib2178462
M-L
NDP21218393
Oth
PPC30

This table is based on 2021 Ipsos polling reported here augmented with guesses about PPC transfers and Green transfers.

Ideally, we would have different tables for each region of the country (at least Quebec and the rest of Canada) as well as for each election year. But we don’t. The same table is currently used everywhere.

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/news-polls/canadians-remain-open-to-changing-their-vote-as-debates-loom

Top-up or Adjustments:

A placeholder election strategy for where no top-up strategy is applicable.