Module 12 Elections and Public Officials
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this module, you should be able to:
1. Describe the nature of elections and political parties in the Philippines
2. Identify the types of electoral systems.
3. Assess the implications of the type of electoral systems on politics and governance
4. Analyze the nature of elections and political parties in the Philippines
I. Introduction
Start-up Activity!
1. According to John Lewis, “The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent
tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it.” What is the relevance of
your vote during elections? What makes it precious?
2. How do elections and political parties play an essential role in Philippine politics?
What are the issues that Philippine politics face in terms of elections?
Elections are integral to democratic governance. Through the mechanism of elections,
politicians are held accountable for their actions and are compelled to introduce policies that
are reflective of and responsive to public opinion. Ideally, elections serve as a 'primary source
of political recruitment, a means of making government, transferring government power, a
guarantee of representation, and a significant determinant of government policy (Heywood, as
cited by Teehankee, 2000).
The main focus of this module is to discuss the nature of elections and political parties in the
Philippines. It will also identify the types of the electoral system and evaluate the effects of
the kind of electoral system on politics and governance.
II. Learning Content
Elections
An election is a democratic process in which the citizens by the age of 18 and above formally
decide and vote on who has the right to hold public office and make public policies and
decisions concerning the people’s overall welfare. Elections allow the people to select those
they think can represent their country and the formation of the government and directing the
supposed future by choosing according to principle. In elections, qualified citizens cast a vote.
Elections empower the people and enable them to exercise control of the government that is
"of the people, by the people, for the people."
An electoral system, which can also be called the voting system, is used to determine the
necessary votes, calculate votes, and then translate them into seats or positions in the
government. Different electoral systems benefit politicians so that they can campaign to get
, 2 Politics and Governance with Philippine Constitution
the needed votes. It also benefits the voters by giving them a variety of choices that can
influence their decision-making.
According to King (2000), the electoral system employed may vary among countries, regions,
or even different government levels. The general types are as follows.
The first is the plurality electoral system, which may also be called the "winner-take-all" or
"first-past-the-post" system. This system grants a seat to the candidate who received the
most votes in the election. The plurality system needs a transparent vote and count process. It
is based on the principle that the aspirant with many supporters has the chance to be elected.
Voters are asked to cast a vote on one candidate only.
The problem with this system is a misrepresentation of the preference of the majority with a
plurality. A candidate may have gotten the most number, but it is possible that the majority is
not to favor of the candidate mentioned above (King, 2000). On the other hand, some people
favor this because it is easy to administer with its simplicity. Also, the tallying of votes does
not take up much time nor use up many resources needed in multiple rounds.
The second is the majority electoral system. this system is also known as the "second ballot."
In this system, according to Blais and Massicotte (1999), a clear winner is only declared once
he or she wins over the majority or over 50% of the voters. The conflict arises when no
candidate reaches the required percentage of votes. Thus there is a possibility that no one will
be elected in a single round. Since a single round of election cannot always prove effective in
this electoral system, voters are given a second chance in consideration of who they deem
responsible enough to assume a government post.
One type of majoritarian electoral system is called the alternative vote. This involves
preferential voting wherein voters may rank the candidates or political parties according to
their preference. At least one candidate is required to be ranked by the voters by placing a
number next to the names to indicate which is to be the first choice, second choice, and
onwards. This voting may also be specified as full or optional.
Another is the two-round system. As some elections may not yield a result wherein a
candidate gains the majority's acceptance; a second-round is necessitated. Then, a level this
mark can qualify for a second round, and then the voting process is repeated. The candidate or
the political party with the most number of votes in the second round is then considered the
winner. (Clark & Golder, 2010).
The third is the proportional electoral system. According to Jud (2010), it can be defined as
a system that can produce proportional outcomes. The outcomes are proportionate in the sense
that when a party wins a certain percentage of votes, they are also more likely to have the
same percentage of votes, they are also more likely to have the same percentage of seats.
Another way to classify elections is their type, namely: primary, general, and special. The
primary is a preliminary election for determining which candidate best embodies a political
party and would serve as the representative during the general election. It may be thought of
as a nominating election. Primary elections are conducted to narrow down the existing pool of
candidates to one per party. The winners of the primaries then run against each other for a
single position during the general elections. (Dugger, n.d.) This is what is being observed in
the U.S.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this module, you should be able to:
1. Describe the nature of elections and political parties in the Philippines
2. Identify the types of electoral systems.
3. Assess the implications of the type of electoral systems on politics and governance
4. Analyze the nature of elections and political parties in the Philippines
I. Introduction
Start-up Activity!
1. According to John Lewis, “The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent
tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it.” What is the relevance of
your vote during elections? What makes it precious?
2. How do elections and political parties play an essential role in Philippine politics?
What are the issues that Philippine politics face in terms of elections?
Elections are integral to democratic governance. Through the mechanism of elections,
politicians are held accountable for their actions and are compelled to introduce policies that
are reflective of and responsive to public opinion. Ideally, elections serve as a 'primary source
of political recruitment, a means of making government, transferring government power, a
guarantee of representation, and a significant determinant of government policy (Heywood, as
cited by Teehankee, 2000).
The main focus of this module is to discuss the nature of elections and political parties in the
Philippines. It will also identify the types of the electoral system and evaluate the effects of
the kind of electoral system on politics and governance.
II. Learning Content
Elections
An election is a democratic process in which the citizens by the age of 18 and above formally
decide and vote on who has the right to hold public office and make public policies and
decisions concerning the people’s overall welfare. Elections allow the people to select those
they think can represent their country and the formation of the government and directing the
supposed future by choosing according to principle. In elections, qualified citizens cast a vote.
Elections empower the people and enable them to exercise control of the government that is
"of the people, by the people, for the people."
An electoral system, which can also be called the voting system, is used to determine the
necessary votes, calculate votes, and then translate them into seats or positions in the
government. Different electoral systems benefit politicians so that they can campaign to get
, 2 Politics and Governance with Philippine Constitution
the needed votes. It also benefits the voters by giving them a variety of choices that can
influence their decision-making.
According to King (2000), the electoral system employed may vary among countries, regions,
or even different government levels. The general types are as follows.
The first is the plurality electoral system, which may also be called the "winner-take-all" or
"first-past-the-post" system. This system grants a seat to the candidate who received the
most votes in the election. The plurality system needs a transparent vote and count process. It
is based on the principle that the aspirant with many supporters has the chance to be elected.
Voters are asked to cast a vote on one candidate only.
The problem with this system is a misrepresentation of the preference of the majority with a
plurality. A candidate may have gotten the most number, but it is possible that the majority is
not to favor of the candidate mentioned above (King, 2000). On the other hand, some people
favor this because it is easy to administer with its simplicity. Also, the tallying of votes does
not take up much time nor use up many resources needed in multiple rounds.
The second is the majority electoral system. this system is also known as the "second ballot."
In this system, according to Blais and Massicotte (1999), a clear winner is only declared once
he or she wins over the majority or over 50% of the voters. The conflict arises when no
candidate reaches the required percentage of votes. Thus there is a possibility that no one will
be elected in a single round. Since a single round of election cannot always prove effective in
this electoral system, voters are given a second chance in consideration of who they deem
responsible enough to assume a government post.
One type of majoritarian electoral system is called the alternative vote. This involves
preferential voting wherein voters may rank the candidates or political parties according to
their preference. At least one candidate is required to be ranked by the voters by placing a
number next to the names to indicate which is to be the first choice, second choice, and
onwards. This voting may also be specified as full or optional.
Another is the two-round system. As some elections may not yield a result wherein a
candidate gains the majority's acceptance; a second-round is necessitated. Then, a level this
mark can qualify for a second round, and then the voting process is repeated. The candidate or
the political party with the most number of votes in the second round is then considered the
winner. (Clark & Golder, 2010).
The third is the proportional electoral system. According to Jud (2010), it can be defined as
a system that can produce proportional outcomes. The outcomes are proportionate in the sense
that when a party wins a certain percentage of votes, they are also more likely to have the
same percentage of votes, they are also more likely to have the same percentage of seats.
Another way to classify elections is their type, namely: primary, general, and special. The
primary is a preliminary election for determining which candidate best embodies a political
party and would serve as the representative during the general election. It may be thought of
as a nominating election. Primary elections are conducted to narrow down the existing pool of
candidates to one per party. The winners of the primaries then run against each other for a
single position during the general elections. (Dugger, n.d.) This is what is being observed in
the U.S.
