Block voting

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Block voting, also known as bloc voting, refers to certain electoral systems where multiple candidates are elected simultaneously. They do not guarantee minority representation and allow a group of voters (a voting bloc) to ensure that only their preferred candidates are elected. In these systems, a voter can select as many candidates as there are open seats. That is, the voter has as many votes to cast as the number of seats to fill.^{[1][better source needed]} The block voting systems are among various election systems available for use in multi-member districts where the voting system allows for the selection of multiple winners at once.

Block voting falls under the multiple non-transferable vote category, a term often used interchangeably with this term. Block voting may be also associated with the concept of majoritarian representation in multi-winner electoral systems or the plurality election method.

Block voting encompasses two primary types: plurality block voting and majority block voting. The former only requires a plurality to elect candidates, while the latter necessitates candidates to secure support from a majority (more than half) of the electorate for election.

In both plurality block voting and majority block voting, voters can choose up to n candidates for n open positions, and under plurality block voting, the n candidates with the most votes are elected and fill the positions.

Other variations of block voting include block approval voting, partial block voting (also known as limited voting), and party block voting (also termed as the general ticket). Block voting is often juxtaposed with proportional representation, where the aim is to ensure that each voter's vote carries equal weight. In contrast, block voting tends to favor the most popular party, resulting in a potential landslide victory.