Guidelines to Assist National Minority Participation in the Electoral Process Page: 34 Open List – A form of List Proportional Representation in which electors can express a preference for a candidate within a party list, as well as voting for the party. Parallel System – A semi-proportional system in which proportional representation is used in conjunction with a plurality-majority system but where, unlike MMP, the PR seats do not compensate for any disproportionality arising from elections to the plurality-majority seats. Party Block Vote (PB) – A form of the Block Vote in which electors choose between parties rather than candidates. The successful party will typically win every seat in the district. Plurality-Majority Systems – The distinguishing feature of plurality-majority systems is that they almost always use single-member districts. In a First Past the Post system, the winner is the candidate with a plurality of votes, but not necessarily an absolute majority of the votes. When this system is used in multi-member districts it becomes the Block Vote. Majority systems, such as the Australian Alternative Vote and the French Two-Round System, try to ensure that the winning candidate receives an absolute majority of votes cast. Preferential Voting – Electoral systems in which voters can rank-order candidates on the ballot paper in order of their choice. The Alternative Vote, the Single Transferable Vote and the system used to elect the Sri Lankan president are all examples of preferential voting. Proportional Representation (PR) – Any system which consciously attempts to reduce the disparity between a party’s share of the national vote and its share of the parliamentary seats. For example, if a party wins 40 per cent of the votes, it should win approximately 40 per cent of the seats. Semi-Proportional Systems (Semi-PR) – Those electoral systems which provide, on average, results which fall some way in between the proportionality of PR systems and the disproportionality of plurality-majority systems. Single Non-Transferable Vote (SNTV) – A semi-proportional system which combines multi-member districts with a First Past the Post method of vote counting, and in which electors have only one vote. Single Transferable Vote (STV) – A preferential proportional representation system used in multimember districts. To gain election, candidates must surpass a specified quota of first-preference votes. Voters” preferences are re-allocated to other continuing candidates when an unsuccessful candidate is excluded or if an elected candidate has a surplus. Two-Round System (TRS) – A plurality-majority system in which a second election is held if no candidate achieves an absolute majority of votes in the first election.