Party list PR is the most widely used voting system in the world. In these systems, the whole country or, more typically, large regions within the country are single electoral districts, with a relatively large number of seats being filled in each district.

For example, if there are 20 seats to be filled in a district, then each party puts forward a list of up to 20 candidates, numbered 1 to 20. Voters cast a vote for the party and its list of candidates. If a party receives 25% of the votes that party would fill 5 of the 20 (or 25%) of the seats in that district. The first five candidates on its list would win those seats.

The version described above is called “closed list”. Some list systems have “open lists” which allow voters to vote for individual candidates or rank candidates on the list, rather than accept the ranking provided by the party.

Among the 70 countries using these systems are Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Austria, Norway, Denmark and many others.