DHondtn

DHondt is a method of allocating seats in proportional representation elections. It was devised by the Belgian lawyer and mathematician Victor D'Hondt in 1878. The system aims to distribute seats in a legislature or council in a way that reflects the proportion of votes each political party or candidate received.

The core of the DHondt method involves calculating a series of "quotients" for each party. This is done by dividing the total number of votes a party received by a sequence of divisors: 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on, up to the total number of seats to be allocated. The seats are then awarded to the parties that achieve the highest quotients, in descending order, until all seats are filled.

This method is designed to favor larger parties to a degree, as they are more likely to obtain the highest quotients. However, it still generally results in a proportional outcome, especially in systems with multiple seats to be filled. The DHondt method is used in many countries around the world, including Spain, Belgium, and Israel, for both national and local elections. Its popularity stems from its relative simplicity in calculation and its tendency to produce outcomes that are broadly representative of the electorate's choices. There are variations and discussions surrounding its fairness, particularly regarding the advantage it might give to larger parties compared to other proportional systems.