CSES Module 1 Data Set Errata
Posted: October 24, 2010
Switzerland (1999) - Macro Variables A5031, A5032_1, A5032_3, A5034_1, A5034_3, A5035_1, and A5042
Since the last full release of the CSES Module 1 data, Swiss collaborators have found corrections to seven macro variables (listed above).
Recommended changes to the data file are as follows:
VARIABLE ORIGINAL VALUE NEW VALUE -------- -------------- --------- A5031 03. Yes; Limited enforcement 05. No A5035_1 07. 00. A5032_1 02. 91. Other [See variable notes] A5032_3 01. 91. Other [See variable notes] A5042 05. No 01. Yes
The following code, written for SPSS, will correct the problems:
If A1004 = "CHE_1999" A5031 = 5. If A1004 = "CHE_1999" A5032_1 = 91. If A1004 = "CHE_1999" A5032_3 = 91. If A1004 = "CHE_1999" A5035_1 = 0. If A1004 = "CHE_1999" A5042 = 1.
The following election studies notes should replace existing election study notes, as appropriate:
| ELECTION STUDY NOTES - SWITZERLAND (1999): A5031
|
| Voting is compulsory in only a single district (Schaffhausen,
| A2027=14), i.e., applies to about 1% of the Swiss population,
| where those abstaining without a justifiable reason are subject
| to a small fine.
| ELECTION STUDY NOTES - SWITZERLAND (1999): A5032_1
|
| All Switzerland cases for this variable have been coded "91"
| for the following reason:
| Voters can cast as many votes as there are seats in their
| districts (1 to 34; see A4001).
| ELECTION STUDY NOTES - SWITZERLAND (1999): A5032_3
|
| All Switzerland cases for this variable have been coded "91"
| for the following reason:
| Voters can cast one or two votes, depending on whether their
| district is a canton or a so-called half-canton. Cantons are
| represented by two councilors each in the upper house, and
| voters have two votes, accordingly. Half cantons elect a single
| representative, and voters can therefore cast only one vote.
| Half-cantons are Obwalden (A2027=6), Nidwalden (7), Basle-Town
| (12), Basle-Country (13), Appenzell Outer-Rhodes (15) and
| Appenzell Inner-Rhodes (16).
| ELECTION STUDY NOTES - SWITZERLAND (2003): A5034_1
|
| "Proportional representation election system in all cantons
| with more than 1 seat according the Hagenbach-Bischoff System.
| Single-member-districts (OW, NW, UR, GL, AI, and AR from 2003)
| have a Majority voting system (simple Majority required).
| Hagenbach-Bischoff System: Proportional Representation system
| based on the highest Average concept. Involves the combination
| of a quota and a divisor system. Two stage process where
| candidates receiving a quota are elected first and any remaining
| seats are determined by a divisor system (d'Hondt).
| Note that PR formally applies to all the districts in lower
| house (National Council) elections, but PR elections congeal to
| de facto plurality in single member districts.
| ELECTION STUDY NOTES - SWITZERLAND (2003): A5034_3
|
| The seats are assigned in majority run-off elections, with two
| exceptions. Canton Jura uses d'Hondt PR formula, while Upper
| House elections in Appenzell Inner-Rhodes (AI) are held at the
| Landsgemeinde, an annual assembly of all citizens. The
| electoral formula may most properly be described as plurality
| (citizens simply raise their hands for one candidate, vote
| shares are roughly estimated rather than counted, no qualified
| majority is needed). "There are different ways to calculate the
| absolute majority. In the cantons LU, UR, SZ, FR, AR, SG, AG,
| TG, VD, VS, NE, JU - on the base of all valid votes,
| often minus blank votes:
| (Total valid votes shared by 2) + 1 = the absolute majority.
| Candidates have to get more than 50% of all votes to be elected
| in the first run. In the second run (usually a few weeks later)
| the simple majority is enough. In ZH, BE, GL. ZG, SO, BL, SH:
| based of the votes for candidates: total votes for candidates
| divided by the amount seats to provide, and then divided by
| 2 = Majority. In those cases the majority is usually under 50%.
| In Graubünden (GR): the total of the votes for candidates is
| divided by the amount of seats to provide + 1. The result + 1 is
| the absolute majority. In GE a simple Majority of 33.33% is
| enough to be elected."
| ELECTION STUDY NOTES - SWITZERLAND (1999): A5035_1
|
| There are no legal thresholds at the national level.
| ELECTION STUDY NOTES - SWITZERLAND (1999): A5042
|
| In the Upper House elections, in some cases parties refrain from
| running candidate(s) already on first ballots. In other cases
| parties withdraw their candidacies in run-offs. Strategic
| coordination between parties is not limited to Upper House
| elections alone. Especially in Lower House single-member
| districts (SMDs) it is quite common that parties fraternally
| divide upper and lower house seat(s) among them before the
| election, so that elections are either 'mock' elections (i.e. no
| prosperous rival candidates), or, in case of perfect
| coordination, 'tacit' elections (i.e. no rival candidates at
| all, and thus, no election is held). The latter happened at the
| 1999 lower house elections and at the 2003 upper house elections
| in Obwalden. The former occurred, for example, at the 1999
| lower house elections in Uri, Glarus, Nidwalden, and Appenzell
| Inner-Rhodes, and at the 2003 lower house elections in the
| mentioned districts plus Obwalden.