Editing Voter suppression (section)

=== Wasted votes ===
[[Plurality voting|Winner-take-all]] systems (unlike in systems with [[proportional representation]]), are especially vulnerable to weakening and [[Wasted vote|wasting certain votes year after year]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Seabrook |first=Nick |title=One person, one vote : a surprising history of gerrymandering in America |date=2022 |isbn=978-0-593-31586-6 |publisher=Pantheon Books |edition=First |location=New York |oclc=1286675891}}</ref> This phenomenon also suppresses turnout for that and other elections help simultaneously in states that are not competitive, suppressing the popular vote for president in the US, for example, while lowering turnout in a host of other contests.<ref name=":1" /> In contrast, a [[parliamentary system]] typically significantly reduces wasted (suppressed) votes, helping to ensure more [[vote equality]] and encouraging greater overall participation.<ref name="Samuel Popkin 2001. P. 9702"/>

[[Referendum|Ballot referendum]] can also be a powerful avenue for changing political systems, for example, that are not as responsive to voters due to [[gerrymandering]] or other [[anti-democratic action]]s and policies.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Ballot measures on weed and abortion won in 2022. Now they're fueling a backlash |language=en |work=NPR.org |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/12/15/1142821226/ballot-weed-abortion-won-2022-fueling-backlash |access-date=2022-12-15}}</ref>