The Sainte-Laguë index of disproportionality and Dalton’s principle of transfers

Bibliographic Data

ID7950468
AuthorsJosh Goldenberg (St. Edmund Hall, University of Oxford, UK), Stephen D Fisher (0000-0002-1006-1638, Trinity College, University of Oxford, corresponding author)
Year2019
Volume25
Issue2
Pages203-207
Publication date2019-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueParty Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1354-0688 • E-ISSN: 1460-3683
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1354068817703020
OpenAlexW2607310467
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited8

The Sainte-Laguë index (SLI) has a strong claim to be the index that should be adopted as the standard measure of disproportionality in electoral studies. Its properties are therefore worthwhile understanding more clearly. This article provides a counterexample (the 2010 UK general election) to previous claims that the SLI satisfies Dalton’s principle of transfers with respect to differences between seat shares and vote shares but not ratios of seat and vote shares. Instead, we prove that the SLI satisfies the ratio but not the difference version of the principle. This strengthens the argument for the SLI since the ratio version is the one that accords with notion of electoral disproportionality as inequality in the representation of voters

Argument (complex analysis · Combinatorics · Counterexample · Economics · Index (typography · Inequality · Law and economics · Mathematical economics · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Representation (politics · Computer Science · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Law · Mathematics · Populism, Right-Wing Movements · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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