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Understanding the Rules of the Game: Evidence From T aiwan's Mixed Legislative System
Author(s) -
Rich Timothy S.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
asian politics and policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.193
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 1943-0787
pISSN - 1943-0779
DOI - 10.1111/aspp.12088
Subject(s) - legislature , representation (politics) , proportional representation , political science , survey data collection , public economics , public administration , public relations , economics , law , politics , statistics , mathematics , democracy
How does the public understand mixed‐member legislative systems? Mixed systems combine seats allocated by single‐member districts and proportional representation within the same legislature. Despite a sizable literature, little attention is placed on how the public perceives these electoral systems. Survey data prior to Taiwan's second mixed legislative election allow for an analysis of technical knowledge of the system. Empirical analysis finds low levels of knowledge across five preelection survey waves, with supporters of smaller parties more likely to correctly identify electoral rules. Ultimately, this analysis contributes to our understanding of how the public adapts to electoral reforms.