Conclusion

Consistent with OCP Recommendation 1.3, this working group recommends that the U.S. House of Representatives discard constrictive mandates for winner-take-all elections of its members in favor of a more proportional system. The Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship, whose work led to the OCP report, specifically recommended single transferable vote, and we reinforce the value of that system here. However, we also characterize that system against a broader backdrop of proportional systems used by democracies around the world, and we recognize that lawmakers may want to experiment more widely.

In pursuing electoral reform, policymakers will need to consider four key components of any electoral system: district magnitude, assembly size, ballot structure, and allocation method. Of these, district magnitude may be the most consequential, and our working group recommends permitting states flexibility while generally adhering to a range of three to eight seats per district. Congress should also consider modifying the current assembly size by adding seats to the House, as discussed in more detail in a prior Academy publication.120

We recognize that implementing these recommendations would constitute a major change in a nation where single-seat, winner-take-all elections are a firmly entrenched part of our political culture. But we maintain that the benefits—improved representation, better governance, and reduced polarization—make this path well worth considering. American voters are open to change; the time has come for our policymakers to deliver it.