How Taiwan’s Electoral Reform Changed Legislators’ Focus on Bill Sponsorship

What is it about?

This study examines how changes to Taiwan’s electoral system affected legislators' focus on different types of issues. Taiwan used to have a voting system where multiple candidates were elected from the same district (Single Non-Transferable Vote, or SNTV). However, in 2008, Taiwan changed to a system where only one candidate is elected per district (Single-Member District, or SMD) while still keeping a separate list-based system for political parties. Legislators can propose bills to support either broad public interests (such as environmental protections and social welfare) or more specific interests that benefit a smaller group (such as subsidies for farmers or local projects). Before the electoral reform, district-based legislators under the SNTV system focused more on helping specific groups, while legislators elected through the party list focused more on broad public policies. After Taiwan switched to the SMD system, the behavior of district-based legislators changed. They started sponsoring more bills that addressed broad public interests rather than just serving smaller groups. The study suggests that because SMD legislators now need to appeal to a wider range of voters in their district, they act as “catch-all representatives,” balancing the needs of their entire constituency.

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Photo by Hansjörg Keller on Unsplash

Photo by Hansjörg Keller on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This research shows that changing election rules can have a big impact on how legislators behave. Many countries use mixed electoral systems like Taiwan, and understanding how different rules influence political behavior can help policymakers design better election systems. The findings challenge the assumption that district-based legislators always focus on particularistic (small-group) interests. Instead, under the system raising the important role of political parties and diminishing the role of personal votes, they may shift toward representing broader public interests. The study also highlights the importance of using bill sponsorships—rather than just roll-call votes (voting records)—to analyze legislative behavior. Because party discipline in Taiwan is strong, voting records might not fully reflect individual legislators’ priorities, making bill sponsorships a better measure of how legislators truly act.

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