The Parliamentary Electoral System in Denmark GUIDE TO THE DANISH ELECTORAL SYSTEM 00 Contents 1 Contents Preface ....................................................................................................................................................................................................3 1. The Parliamentary Electoral System in Denmark ..................................................................................................4 1.1. Electoral Districts and Local Distribution of Seats ......................................................................................................4 1.2. The Electoral System Step by Step ..................................................................................................................................6 1.2.1. Step One: Allocating Constituency Seats ......................................................................................................................6 1.2.2. Step Two: Determining of Passing the Threshold .......................................................................................................7 1.2.3. Step Three: Allocating Compensatory Seats to Parties ...........................................................................................7 1.2.4. Step Four: Allocating Compensatory Seats to Provinces .........................................................................................8 1.2.5. Step Five: Allocating Compensatory Seats to Constituencies ...............................................................................8 1.2.6. Step Six: Candidate Selection ............................................................................................................................................9 1.3. Some Effects of the Electoral System .........................................................................................................................10 1.4. The Electoral System in a Historical and Future Perspective ...............................................................................11 2. The Election Administration System ........................................................................................................................13 2.1. The National Level ...............................................................................................................................................................13 2.2. The Multi-member Constituency Level ........................................................................................................................13 2.3. The Nomination District Level ..........................................................................................................................................13 2.4. The Municipality Level ........................................................................................................................................................14 2.5. The Polling District Level ....................................................................................................................................................14 3. Administrative Procedures Preceding an Election .............................................................................................15 3.1. Administrative Districts and Electoral Districts .........................................................................................................15 3.2. The Electorate ......................................................................................................................................................................15 3.3. The Announcement ............................................................................................................................................................18 3.4. Parties and Candidates ......................................................................................................................................................18 3.4.1. The National Level ...............................................................................................................................................................18 3.4.2. The Multi-member Constituency Level ........................................................................................................................19 3.4.3. The Nomination District Level ..........................................................................................................................................21 3.5. The Campaign .......................................................................................................................................................................21 3.6. Public Financial Support for Political Parties ...............................................................................................................22 4. Polling and Counting.........................................................................................................................................................23 4.1. Polling on Election Day .......................................................................................................................................................23 4.1.1. Practical Preparations for Polling ...................................................................................................................................23 4.1.2. Polling Supervisors and Appointed Electors ..............................................................................................................23 4.1.3. Polling .......................................................................................................................................................................................23 4.2. Advance Voting ....................................................................................................................................................................24 4.2.1. Advance Voting in Denmark .............................................................................................................................................24 4.2.2. Advance Voting Abroad .....................................................................................................................................................25 4.2.3. Voting Material for Advance Voting ...............................................................................................................................25 4.2.4. Procedures for Advance Voting ......................................................................................................................................26 4.2.5. Examination of Advance Votes .......................................................................................................................................26 4.3. Counting ..................................................................................................................................................................................27 4.3.1. Preliminary Count .................................................................................................................................................................27 4.3.2. The Final Count .....................................................................................................................................................................28 The Parliamentary Electoral System in Denmark 2 5. Administrative Procedures Following an Election ..............................................................................................29 5.1. The Central Computations ...............................................................................................................................................29 5.2. Election Complaints ............................................................................................................................................................30 5.3. The Approval Procedure ....................................................................................................................................................30 5.4. The Publication of Election Results ...............................................................................................................................30 5.5. Destruction of the Voting Material and Payment of the Bill .................................................................................31 6. Computerization .................................................................................................................................................................32 6.1. Electronic computation of election results ................................................................................................................32 6.2. Electronic electoral registers and electronic logbooks ..........................................................................................32 6.3. E-voting ...................................................................................................................................................................................32 7. Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................................................34 Annex ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 35 Extract of ballot paper from the general election in