Going it Alone? Strategic Nominations in Mixed Electoral Systems

Abstract

In the study of the consequences of mixed systems on party strategy, a critical question remains unanswered: How does the strategic environment created by mixed electoral rules affect preelectoral coordination? As we demonstrated in chapter 3, placement of a candidate in an SMD race seems to boost the vote share of the PR list with which the candidate is affiliated. An implication of this finding is that, in an attempt to maximize their PR vote share, parties have an incentive to “go it alone” and nominate candidates in as many districts as possible, thereby eschewing cooperative agreements that would limit how they distribute candidacies in majoritarian elections.