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Abstract
The ‘best of both worlds’ thesis contends that mixed-member electoral systems should provide individual legislator accountability via single-member district (SMD) elections, as well as collective party accountability via a multi-member district (MMD) tier. This study evaluates the mandate divide and electoral connection under the Welsh mixed-member proportional system of representation during the 3rd (2007–11) and 4th (2011–16) Assemblies. Consistent with the best of both worlds thesis, electorally vulnerable SMD legislators are found to make more member bill attempts, and those whose member bills are randomly selected for introduction enjoy a significant boost in their electoral margin of victory. There is some evidence that MMD legislators are rewarded by their party selectorates for member bill efforts with a move up the party list, although this result is less robust. An additional check confirms the absence of contamination across electoral tiers.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to thank the University of West Florida for providing me with the postdoctoral research position where this study was developed, as well as the three anonymous reviewers. Previous versions of this study were presented at the 2017 annual conferences of the Southern Political Science Association, the Midwest Political Science Association, and the Southwestern Social Science Association.
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA AND RESEARCH MATERIALS
Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the Taylor & Francis website, https://doi.org/10.1080/00344893.2018.1525419.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Brian D. Williams
Brian Williams is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the State University of New York at Cortland. His empirical research focuses primarily on electoral systems and legislative behavior from a comparative perspective. His work has appeared in Political Science Research and Methods, Legislative Studies Quarterly, and Theory In Action.