Vertailuääniin

Vertailuääniin refers to a method of proportional representation used in some electoral systems, most notably in Finland's parliamentary and municipal elections. The term translates to "comparison votes" or "threshold votes" in English. The core principle of vertailuääniin is to ensure that seats are allocated proportionally to the votes received by each party or electoral alliance, while also incorporating a mechanism to prevent excessive fragmentation of the political landscape.

In practice, when calculating seat allocations, the total number of votes cast for each party is divided by a series of divisors. These divisors typically start with 1.4 and increase incrementally. The resulting quotients are then ranked. The highest quotients across all parties determine which parties receive seats. The specific divisor used is crucial as it acts as a form of threshold. Parties that fall below this threshold may not receive representation, even if they achieve a certain number of votes. This system aims to balance the ideal of strict proportionality with the need for stable and manageable governments. The exact calculation method and the specific divisors can vary slightly depending on the election and the jurisdiction.