Editing Open list (section)

{{Short description|Personalized list proportional voting system}}
{{Use British English Oxford spelling|date=September 2017}}
{{Electoral systems}}
[[File:Openlist PR 2020.svg|thumb|359x359px|Countries using open-list proportional representation as of 2020.{{legend|#00e32d|Countries where all parties use an open list}}{{legend|#ff8400|Countries where most parties use an open list}}{{legend|#00a8e6|Varies by state}}]]
'''Open list''' describes any variant of [[party-list proportional representation]] where voters have at least some influence on the order in which a [[Political party|party]]'s [[Candidate|candidates]] are elected. This is as opposed to [[closed list]], in which party lists are in a predetermined, fixed order by the time of the election and gives the general voter no influence at all on the position of the candidates placed on the [[party list]]. 

An open list system allows voters to select individuals rather than, or in addition to parties. Different systems give the voter different amounts of influence to change the default ranking. The voter's candidate choices are usually called '''preference vote'''; the voters are usually allowed one or more preference votes for the open list candidates.

Open lists differ from [[mixed-member proportional representation]], also known as "personalized proportional representation" in Germany. Some [[Mixed electoral system|mixed systems]], however, may use open lists in their list-PR component.