What is Proportional Representation?
From the BC Citizens’ Assembly Glossary:
Proportional Representation (PR):
Proportional representation refers to a family of electoral systems which stress the importance of ensuring that the proportion of seats won by a party in a representative assembly reflects as closely as possible the proportion of votes won by the party.
These systems often use more complicated procedures than other electoral systems for counting votes and allocating seats, but the basic principle on which they are based is straightforward—a representative assembly should reflect the distribution of opinion in the political community as closely as possible.
There are two broad ways in which proportional representation can be achieved: the list system and the single transferable vote (STV) system.
Proportional outcomes can also be achieved by mixing proportional representation with a non-proportional system; see mixed-member proportional (MMP) systems. See also mixed systems; seat share; vote share.
The single transferable vote system of proportional representation is sometimes called a quota preferential systems because it uses quotas for working out which candidates are to be elected.
All systems of proportional representation require multi-member districts or at large elections.