Accounting for the Causes and Consequences of a Worldwide Trend in Electoral Reform

Organized by Matthew Shugart, UCSD, Martin Wattenberg, UCI, Stephen Levine, Victoria University, New Zealand

December 13, 1998
Balboa Bay Club
Newport Beach, California

December 11
Choosing a Mixed Electoral System (Chair: Matt Shugart, UCSD)

Introductory Session 9-9:30
Welcoming comments (Wattenberg, UCI, and Levine, Victoria University, NZ)
"Mixed­Member Systems and Electoral 'Efficiency'" (Shugart)

Morning Session I 9:30 - 11:00
Mixed­Member Proportional Systems in Established Democracies
Germany - Susan Scarrow, University of Houston
New Zealand - David Denemark, University of Western Australia
Venezeula - Brian Crisp, University of Arizona

Break

Morning Session II 11:15-12:45
Bringing in Majoritarian Features to Established PR Democracies
Italy - Richard Katz, Johns Hopkins University
Japan - Michael Thies, UCLA
Israel - Gideon Rahat, Hebrew University

Afternoon Session II 2:30-4
Mixed­Member Systems in Developing Democracies
Russia - Ian McAllister, Australian National University and Stephen White, University of Strathclyde
Hungary - Kenneth Benoit, Trinity College, Dublin
Mexico - Juan Molinar, Instituto Federal Electoral, Mexico City
Bolivia - Rene Mayorga, Centro Boliviano de Estudios Multidisciplinarios, La Paz

December 12
Consequences of a Mixed Electoral System (Chair: Stephen Levine, Victoria University)

Morning Session I 9:30 - 11
Mixed­Member Proportional Systems in Established Democracies
Germany - Hans-Dieter Klingemann and Bernhard Wessels, Science Center, Berlin
New Zealand - Stephen Levine et al., New Zealand Political Change Project, Victoria University
Venezeula - Michael Kulischek, University of Pittsburgh

Morning Session II 11:15-12:45
Bringing in Majoritarian Features to Established PR Democracies
Italy - Roberto D'Alimonte, University of Florence
Japan - Steve Reed, Chuo University
Israel - Reuven Hazan, Hebrew University

Afternoon Session 2:30-4
Mixed­Member Systems in Developing Democracies
Russia - Ian McAllister, Australian National University and Stephen White, University of Strathclyde
Hungary - John Wilson Schiemann, Columbia University
Mexico - Jeff Weldon, Instituto Tecnologico de Mexico
Bolivia - Rene Mayorga, Centro Boliviano de Estudios Multidisciplinarios, La Paz

December 13

Prospects for Future Electoral Reform (Chair: Marty Wattenberg, UCI)

Morning Session 9:30-11
Canada - Kent Weaver, Brookings Institution
United Kingdom - David Farrell, Manchester University
Discussants: Shaun Bowler, UC Riverside and Thomas Flanagan, University of Calgary