The Political Consequences of the Electoral System: Single Nontransferable Voting in Taiwan

Abstract

In its modern history, Taiwan has adopted the multi-member district, single nontransferable voting (SNTV) system in elections for various public posts. Recent electoral reforms in Japan and South Korea have led to the abandoning of SNTV in those countries, leaving Taiwan as the only country with the system. The SNTV system has been different from the single-member district plurality and proportional representation (PR) systems in its design and impact on party politics. The adoption of SNTV in Taiwan has generated several features in the electoral system which are significantly different from those in Western democracies and worthy of further study. In this paper, the author first explores the historical background and evolution of SNTV in Taiwan and its impact on Taiwan’s party politics, party nomination process, and election campaigns. The author then discusses the advantages and drawbacks of this system and makes some suggestions for future electoral reform in Taiwan.