Center for the Study of Democracy, UC Irvine, The Canadian Embassy, UCI Academic Senate

February 18-19, 2006

This conference is the fifth in a series on the major electoral systems of the world.  Each of the previous conferences has resulted in a published conference volume.  It involves some of the leading electoral system scholars.

*Indicates attending/presenting author

Friday, 2/17
(presenters and discussants)

8 p.m.      Dessert and coffee at Wyndham Hotel restaurant (meet in lobby a little before 8 p.m.  Reservation in name “Grofman”)

Saturday, 2/18
(California Room, Wyndham Hotel)

9 a.m.      Meet in California Room, Wyndham Hotel for coffee & cookies

9:30-11    Session I

“Neither Representative nor Accountable:  First Past the Post in the UK"
John Curtice (Strathclyde University)*, Michael Steed
[discussant: Miki Kittilson)

“The Puzzle of Non-Duvergerian Equilibria in the United Kingdom"
Brian Gaines (University of Illinois)*
[Discussant:  Jim Adams]
      
11:15-12:45     Session II

“Canada:  Seats-Votes and the Puzzle of Non-Duvergerian Equilibria”
Richard Johnston (University of British Columbia)*, Fred Cutler
[Discussant:   Matthew Shugart]

"Voting Strategically in Canada and Great Britain”
André Blais, (Université de Montréal)*, Eugene Dostie-Goulet, Marc André Bodet
[Discussant:  Steve Weldon]
      
12:45-2    Lunch on patio at Wyndham

2-3:30      Session III

“Party Inflation in India:  Why Has  Multi-Party Format Prevailed in the National Party?”
Csaba Nikolenyi (Concordia University)* 
[Discussant: Arend Lijphart]

“Party Formation and Policy Outcomes under Different Electoral Systems"
Massimo Morelli (Economics and Political Science, Ohio State)*
[Discussant:   Ami Glazer]
 
3:45-5:15 Session IV

“Strategic Voting and Electoral Coordination in Southern Democratic Primaries”
Jeffrey Grynaviski (University of Chicago)*
[Discussant: Jonathan Katz]

“Seats to Votes Ratios in the United States”
Michael P. McDonald (George Mason University)*
[Discussant:  Rein Taagepera]

5:15-7:30       Free relax time

8:00 Dinner for conference participants at Scott's Restaurant.  Meet in Lobby at 7:30 and we'll stroll to dinner

Sunday, 2/19

10-11:30  Session V

“Comparing Public Policy Outputs under Plurality and PR Systems"
Michael D. McDonald (SUNY-Binghamton)*
[Discussant:  Mike Latner]

“Estimation of the Incumbency Effects in the US State Legislatures:  A Quasi-Experimental Approach/"The Disadvantaged Incumbents: Estimating Incumbency Effects in Indian State Legislatures”
Yogesh Uppal (University of California, Irvine)* 
[Discussant:  Yuliya Tverdova]

11:30-12:00     Wrap up and future plans

12:00+     Lunch (for those still around) – Grofman, host