[Change the Election]⑫ How to Reduce Wasted Votes While Maintaining the Number of National Assembly Members

Proposal for Open-List Large Electoral District System
Interview with Park Jumin, Democratic Party Lawmaker
Expansion of Seats by Region up to 270

"Although the (name) may be unfamiliar, once the content is understood, it is an electoral district system that both members of the National Assembly and the public are highly likely to accept."

Park Jumin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, said this while introducing the 'Open List Large Electoral District System' in the Public Official Election Act, which he proposed as the lead sponsor.

An open list means that voters can choose both the party and the candidates, with all parties and all candidates listed on the ballot paper. The large electoral district system elects 4 to 7 members, up to a maximum of 12, in one electoral district. The open list large electoral district system divides electoral districts by region, allocates seats to parties based on the party vote share in the respective region, and then determines the winners based on the candidates' vote rankings. The seats corresponding to the existing proportional representation seats (47 seats) become adjustment seats, which are decided by the best-loser system, where candidates with the highest vote shares among all losing candidates in all districts are elected.

"It can drastically reduce wasted votes"

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Ju-min. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Park said, "The public wants to reduce wasted votes and increase proportionality without increasing the total number of National Assembly members," adding, "The proposal I presented can drastically reduce wasted votes by introducing an adjustment seat system for proportional seats by region, and it can increase proportionality without changing the number of assembly members."

The current National Assembly election system is a winner-takes-all structure where only the first-place candidate is elected. The biggest reason Park proposed the unfamiliar large electoral district system is precisely because of wasted votes. He said, "Nearly 40% of the public's votes do not have value every time," and "I pushed for electoral district reform with the idea that these wasted votes must be reduced."

Park explained that since the existing number of seats is maintained, there is no reason for incumbent lawmakers to oppose it. He said, "To strengthen proportionality, the number of district seats must be reduced, but this system maintains the existing 253 district seats," adding, "In fact, since proportionality is increased, the 47 adjustment seats can be reduced to about 30 proportional seats." Park also said, "(As the number of adjustment seats decreases,) the issue of reducing lawmakers in rural areas with declining populations can be allocated by region." This means that while strengthening proportionality, the seats corresponding to existing districts may even increase compared to the current number, potentially creating an effect to respond to the era of regional extinction.

Welcomed in Gwangju, a Democratic Party stronghold, and Daegu, a stronghold of the opposition

Notably, Park's election law amendment proposal is supported by the Democratic Party's Gwangju city party, where the party is overwhelmingly strong, and the Gyeongbuk provincial party, where it is at a significant disadvantage. Park said, "There were several debates with the Gwangju city party, and many questioned why the large electoral district system, which has a high possibility of some seats going to other parties compared to the winner-takes-all system, was adopted. What persuaded them was that Gwangju had to choose reform," adding, "I was grateful that they upheld the values and direction of the Democratic Party." Regarding the Gyeongbuk provincial party, he said, "(For the Democratic Party,) it was the region with the most severe wasted votes, but this proposal can revive those voices." It was evaluated as the most advanced proposal in terms of political reform.

The core idea of Park's election law amendment, including the introduction of the open list large electoral district system, has been adopted by the Special Committee on Political Reform and is reflected in two of the three resolutions sent from the full committee for election law amendment, awaiting discussion in the full committee. Among the Special Committee's resolutions, besides the open list large electoral district system, there are the medium-sized electoral district system (urban-rural mixed electoral district system) and a system similar to the current one, 'small electoral district + regional and semi-linked proportional representation.'

Democratic Party lawmaker Park Jumin. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Among these, the urban-rural mixed electoral district system is considered somewhat similar to Park's proposal, as it elects multiple candidates in one district, albeit limited. Park said, "In the case of the urban-rural mixed electoral district system, wasted votes will decrease in urban areas, but the wasted vote problem remains in rural areas, making it a compromise plan," adding, "Honestly, if the full committee opens and amends the election law, shouldn't we change the system that can last 30 to 50 years?" Since he is pushing for election law reform for political reform, there is no reason to choose a compromise plan.

In the National Assembly, there is growing speculation that the election law may not change significantly from the current system or may only be partially changed to a compromise form. Regarding this, Park said, "I hope my proposal is adopted," and "Once people fully understand this system, they will accept it."

As the floor leaders of both ruling and opposition parties promised to agree on the election law, the Democratic Party's party line has become important. Within the Democratic Party, some argue that maintaining the small electoral district system is advantageous for the general election. However, Park said, "In the last general election, the Democratic Party received 53% of the votes in Seoul and won 84% of the seats," adding, "Such a difference occurs with a narrow margin, and the election results could go the other way. Even though party support rates are similar now, it is safer to work hard and gain support than to rely on the wind of public opinion before the election." He emphasized that securing seats honestly is wiser than relying on luck.

There are also concerns about the open list large electoral district system. Since electoral districts become larger by region, election costs may increase, and the scope of election campaigning may become broader and more difficult. In response, Park said, "There are concerns that election campaigning may become difficult and costly in the large electoral district system, but if you look at the bill, it specifies the method of election campaigning," adding, "Since the election centers on parties (not individuals), the cost burden or difficulty of campaigning for individual candidates does not necessarily increase."