Wybory do Sejmu kontraktowego z perspektywy inżynierii wyborczej

Abstract

The article presents an analysis of the electoral system applied in the elections to the Sejm of the Polish People’s Republic in June 1989 from the perspective of the use of electoral engineering tools. These are changes made to the electoral system that affect the electoral process, aiming to change the probability of a particular election result in line with the interests of the decision-maker, and not directly affecting the electoral decisions of voters in relation to the electoral offer presented. The focus was on answering two research questions: whether electoral engineering tools were applied in the case of the elections to the Sejm of the Polish People’s Republic of the 10th term, and if so, whether the tools applied produced an effect consistent with the intentions of the decision-making centre. The analysis was conducted in relation to the electoral system Strict sense: the norms determining the shape of the broadest possible electoral offer, the structure of constituencies, the electoral formula, and the voter’s rights during the act of voting.