dHondtmenetelmässä

The d'Hondt method is a highest averages method used for allocating seats in proportional representation elections. Developed by Victor d'Hondt, a Belgian mathematician, it aims to distribute seats as proportionally as possible to the votes received by each party or candidate list.

The calculation involves dividing the total number of votes for each party by a series of divisors, starting with 1 and increasing consecutively (1, 2, 3, 4, and so on). The resulting quotients are then ranked from highest to lowest. The seats are allocated to the parties that achieve the highest quotients until all available seats have been distributed.

For example, if there are three seats to be allocated and two parties, Party A receives 1000 votes and Party B receives 700 votes. The quotients would be:

Party A: 1000/1 = 1000, 1000/2 = 500, 1000/3 = 333.33

Party B: 700/1 = 700, 700/2 = 350, 700/3 = 233.33

The highest quotients are 1000 (Party A), 700 (Party B), and 500 (Party A). Therefore, Party A would receive two seats and Party B would receive one seat.

The d'Hondt method is known for tending to favor larger parties slightly more than other proportional representation methods, a characteristic sometimes referred to as a "largest remainder" effect in reverse. It is widely used in many countries, including Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands, for both national and local elections. The method's mathematical simplicity and clear procedure make it a common choice for electoral systems.