Yesterday, July 20, Ram Nath Kovind was elected as the 14th President of India. President Kovind received 65.65% of the total vote, which secured a massive margin over his rival Meira Kumar who received 34.35%.The winner is selected through a system known as proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote (STV). Proportional representation ensures equal representation to all groups because it allows voters to mark their voting preferences rather than choosing just one candidate. Votes are never wasted because if your first choice candidate does not win, your second choice is counted and it’s an instant run off until someone wins a majority of the votes.

On May 27, 2017, Andrew Scheer, the Member of Parliament for Regina-qu’Appelle was elected as leader for the Canadian Conservative Party at the end of a thirteen month-long leadership race. The format of the leadership contest, ranked-choice voting (RCV), allowed a consensus candidate to emerge out of many controversial candidacies in order to represent a broad base of Conservatives. Scheer’s predecessor, Prime Minister Stephen Harper resigned following the Conservative Party loss in the 2015 federal elections. Following his resignation, the party appointed Rona Ambrose, a caucus member and former Minister of Health, Environment and Public Works, as interim leader until the permanent leader was appointed by the party’s members in a leadership contest.

After a week-long election began on May 29, Ireland’s ruling party, Fine Gael, has elected Leo Varadkar as its next leader in the party’s first leadership election since outgoing leader Enda Kenny’s election in 2002.

Due to the historically low turnout and the distorted results, Macron’s party “En Marche!” has not received a stable mandate. Thus, he, along with his party, must find a way to collaborate across party lines to accomplish his policy goals and reform the French political system.

The Maltese political system is one of the oldest of its kind in the world. Multi-winner RCV has been in place in the island nation since 1921, surviving several dramatic changes in government and sovereignty.

On May 4th, Scotland held its elections for local councils using a Multi-Winner Ranked Choice Voting System (RVC). Once again, Scottish election results have demonstrated how their system gives voters greater choice, and a stronger voice.

On Thursday, June 8, the United Kingdom went to the voting booths to elect the 650 members of Parliament for the second time in three years.

More diversity. More choice. More civility. Those were just a few of the reasons touted by city councilors in London, Ontario, last week when the Canadian city made history as the nation’s first to adopt ranked-choice voting for municipal elections.

We asked Jean-Marie Pottier, the editor of Slate France to explain the history of the French system – and the way it shapes the country’s politics and enhances the idea that every vote must count equally.

In 2014 the Mexican Government, lead by President Enrique Pena Nieto, adopted an electoral reform package containing a number of policies such as the adoption of an independent redistricting commission. This changes have been hailed by reformers, but also include more controversial policies such as the easing of a ban on re-election to the legislature.