The American Fix - Proportional representation. Friday's Edition
How to restore trust in America after the Trump-Republican regime falls. Series 16 #5
The United States voting system has serious problems. It gives disproportionate power to white voters and locks minorities out of fair representation. The Electoral College, which consistently favors white rural voters (mostly white), allows an individual to win the Presidency while losing the popular vote. The Senate gives Wyoming’s 580,000 residents (89% white) equal power to California’s 39 million (39% white). This means a Wyoming voter has 67 times the Senate power of a California voter. First-past-the-post voting in single-member districts, in which the candidate with the most votes wins even if it’s not the majority, means everyone else's votes disappear and produces legislatures that do not match how people voted.
White Americans constitute 60% of the population but hold 77% of Senate seats, 75% of House seats, and have won the presidency in five of six elections where the Republicans lost the popular vote. Black, Latino, Asian, and Indigenous Americans hold far less power than their numbers justify.
Proportional representation fixes this. Research across 85 countries using proportional systems shows these systems produce legislatures matching vote percentages within 3-5 points. Parties winning 30% of the votes get approximately 30% of the seats. Racial and ethnic minorities gain representation proportional to their population. The majority cannot amplify its power. Minorities cannot be locked out.
Belgium uses proportional representation in which parties organize along linguistic lines. Neither linguistic group can dominate. The Dutch-speaking majority holds approximately 60% of seats, French speakers hold approximately 40%, matching population percentages. Proportional representation prevents the majority from seizing disproportionate control.
South Africa adopted closed-list proportional representation in 1994 to ensure fair representation after apartheid. Voters cast ballots for parties, and parties win seats matching their vote percentage. The system ensures representation across racial, ethnic, and religious lines proportional to population numbers. The African National Congress wins approximately 60% of the votes and gets approximately 60% of the seats. The Democratic Alliance wins approximately 20% of the votes and gets approximately 20% of the seats. Smaller parties representing specific communities gain seats matching their support. No group controls more power than it should. No group gets locked out.
New Zealand switched from first-past-the-post to mixed-member proportional (MMP) in 1996. Under MMP, each voter casts two ballots. One for a local representative, one for a party. The party vote determines overall proportionality. A party wins 25% of party votes but only 15% of local seats; it receives additional members from its party list to reach 25% total seats. The system also maintains seven Māori electorates. Citizens of Māori descent choose whether to vote in Māori or general electorates. Māori representation jumped from 8% of Parliament in 1993 to 23% in 2023. Every group gets seats matching its numbers.
The United States needs mixed-member proportional representation for both chambers and must eliminate the Electoral College. Voters would cast two ballots for House elections. One for a local district representative and one for a party. Half the seats go to district winners, and the other half is allocated to parties based on their vote percentage to ensure overall proportionality. Senate seats would be allocated by state population using proportional representation within each state. California gets seats matching its 39 million residents. Wyoming gets seats matching its 580,000 residents. Parties win seats within each state matching their vote share. Presidential elections use the national popular vote, one person, one vote, every vote counts equally, and the candidate receiving the most votes wins.
This creates fair representation. If Black Americans constitute 13% of voters and support candidates, those candidates win approximately 13% of seats. If Latino Americans constitute 19% and mobilize, they win approximately 19% of seats. White Americans, at 60% of voters, win approximately 60% of seats. No group wields power beyond its numbers. No group gets locked out. The system matches representation to the actual population.
The cultural dimensions of low power distance, quality of life, and collectivism fit proportional representation. Low power distance means votes count equally and no group claims permanent authority to rule others. Quality of life orientation means cooperation and compromise, not just competition. Proportional representation systems force parties to negotiate and build coalitions rather than one party dominating. Collectivism means groups matter, ensuring each gets seats matching their share of votes, not winner-take-all. While Americans value low power distance, they are more achievement-oriented and individualistic, a conflict that may be difficult to overcome.
Proportional representation attracts Communicators who network across hierarchies and build relationships. It requires candidates who can connect groups and help them find common ground. It attracts Mediators who view situations from multiple perspectives and bring different factions together. Coalition governments require leaders skilled at bridging divides. The system discourages Power-seekers who reject others’ ideas and seek to dominate.
Learn more about the archetypes in M.J. Hornby’s novels
Ninety-five countries currently use a type of proportional representation. It’s just what the U.S. needs to help restore American credibility. When foreign governments see American policy reflecting actual voter preferences, credibility increases. One person, one vote, combined with proportional representatio,n delivers the democracy Americans claim to have.
Tomorrow: what American democracy looks like with these reforms combined.
SIDEBAR: REPRESENTATION DISPARITY
Current U.S. Representation vs. Population:
White Americans: 60% of population, 77% of Senate, 75% of House
Black Americans: 13% of population, 3% of Senate, 13% of House
Latino Americans: 19% of population, 6% of Senate, 10% of House
Asian Americans: 6% of population, 2% of Senate, 4% of House
Indigenous Americans: 2% of population, 1% of Senate, 1% of House
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I think ranked choice voting is a step in the right direction, and more feasible in the US. The two political parties won't willingly set up a system that dilutes their power and shares it with Green party, etc.
I'm Belgian. Our system works relatively well for our particular situation. Voting is mandatory in Belgium, too (I think there is just another in the world that does that). There are pros and cons to every ballot method. Having said that, I've always found the US system to be a bit odd. 'The winner takes it all' has some rationale behind it, but 'the winner takes it all, even if the winner actually represents 1/4 of the people' is really disconcerting for me.