Preference vote

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In an open list proportional representation system voters can indicate their preference for a particular individual candidate on a party list by voting for him or her.

In the Netherlands, a country with an open list proportional representation system, this is quite common. Most people vote for the top candidate indicating no special preference, but support for the party in general. Sometimes, however, people want to express their support for a particular person. Many women, for example, vote for the first woman on the list. If a candidate gathers enough preference votes, then he gets a seat in parliament, even if his position on the list would leave him without a seat. In the 2003 elections Hilbrand Nawijn, the former minister of migration and integration was elected into parliament for the Pim Fortuyn List by preference votes even though he was the last candidate on the list.