Kjöraðferðin

Kjöraðferðin translates to "the voting method" in Icelandic and refers to the system used for electing members of the Althing, Iceland's parliament. It is a form of proportional representation designed to ensure that the number of seats a party wins in parliament closely reflects the proportion of votes it receives nationwide. This is achieved through a mixed-member proportional system, combining elements of constituency elections and a leveling mechanism.

The system involves electing a portion of the Althing members from single-member constituencies, where the candidate with the most votes wins. The remaining seats are allocated using a compensatory system to correct any disproportionality arising from the constituency results. This is done by comparing the total votes received by each party nationally with the number of seats they have already won in the constituencies. Additional seats are then awarded to parties from a pre-determined national list to bring their parliamentary representation in line with their overall vote share. The aim is to create a more equitable distribution of power and prevent situations where a party with a significant minority of votes receives a disproportionately small number of seats.