Binominalny system wyborczy
Bionominal electoral system

Summary/Abstract: The article presents an overview of the three crucial issues related to the Chilean electoral system: its origin, effects and recent governmental initiatives of its change. This topic is rarely brought up in Polish literature although the uniqueness of this system should undoubtedly require more attention. The article commences with the brief review of the main features of the Chilean Constitution of 1980 which gave the constitutional basis for the binominal electoral system. Afterwards, it outlines the emergence of the organic constitutional laws 18,700 and 18,799 paying particular attention to the Commission for the Organic Constitutional Laws. Subsequently, the article proceeds to the detailed analysis of the present electoral system for the National Congress of Chile focusing on: the active and passive voting right, timing of the elections, registration of the candidates, regulation on the electoral campaign, ballot design and the method of transformation of votes into seats. Moreover, it includes specific effects of the binominal electoral system along with the simulation of hypothetical electoral results presented in order to emphasize the problem discussed. The last part rises the problem of governmental attempts to change the existing system. It gives a detailed insight into each point of individual proposals including its outcomes as well. In conclusion, it should be indicated that the purpose of the article is to cover the essential issues of the Chilean electoral system presenting therefore its comprehensive review.

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