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C2  ·  35 words

Electoral law in Italian

How votes turn into seats — and what is lost on the way.

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From these 35 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

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The twenty-seventh entry is la privazione del diritto di voto, five words for something English names in one. Italian has no single noun for the right to vote: it says il diritto di voto and builds everything on top of that. English has « the franchise », and a reader meeting it in a political text is unlikely to guess what it is doing there, because the word is better known from shop fronts. Both senses are alive and they never touch. « The franchise » in politics is the right to vote, held by a class of people rather than granted to one person, as in « the extension of the franchise » or « a property franchise ». From it come the two verbs this entry needs, « to enfranchise » and « to disenfranchise », and the second is exactly what the Italian describes. The other « franchise » is commercial, the licence to trade under somebody else’s name, and for that one Italian borrows from English instead: il franchising. So the sense a learner already knows is the one that will not help here.

The words

Phrase (30)

collegio elettoralethe constituencyPhraseC2
Il collegio elettorale è stato ridisegnato prima del voto.The constituency was redrawn before the vote.
liste elettoralithe electoral registerPhraseC2
Chi cambia residenza finisce in altre liste elettorali.Whoever moves house ends up on a different electoral register.
elettorato passivothe right to stand for electionPhraseC2
Per il senato l’elettorato passivo comincia più tardi.For the senate the right to stand for election begins later.
scheda elettoralethe ballot paperPhraseC2
La scheda elettorale porta il timbro del seggio.The ballot paper carries the stamp of the polling station.
seggio elettoralethe polling stationPhraseC2
Il seggio elettorale è in una scuola.The polling station is in a school.
presidente di seggiothe presiding officerPhraseC2
Il presidente di seggio firma il verbale.The presiding officer signs the record.
affluenza alle urnethe turnoutPhraseC2
L’affluenza alle urne è stata più bassa in campagna.The turnout was lower in the countryside.
soglia di sbarramentothe electoral thresholdPhraseC2
La soglia di sbarramento tiene fuori i partiti piccoli.The electoral threshold keeps the small parties out.
sistema proporzionaleproportional representationPhraseC2
Il sistema proporzionale riproduce le minoranze in aula.Proportional representation reproduces the minorities in the chamber.
sistema maggioritariothe majoritarian systemPhraseC2
Nel sistema maggioritario vince chi arriva primo.Under the majoritarian system the one who comes first wins.
seggio di listathe list seatPhraseC2
Il seggio di lista va al candidato meglio piazzato.The list seat goes to the better placed candidate.
seggio uninominalethe single-member seatPhraseC2
Ha vinto il seggio uninominale per pochi voti.She won the single-member seat by a few votes.
seggio in eccedenzathe overhang seatPhraseC2
Il seggio in eccedenza nasce dal confronto tra i due voti.The overhang seat arises from the comparison between the two votes.
commissione per i collegithe boundary commissionPhraseC2
La commissione per i collegi propone i nuovi confini.The boundary commission proposes the new borders.
voto per corrispondenzathe postal votePhraseC2
Chi vive all’estero usa il voto per corrispondenza.Whoever lives abroad uses the postal vote.
voto segretothe secret ballotPhraseC2
Il voto segreto protegge chi lavora per il datore sbagliato.The secret ballot protects the person who works for the wrong employer.
scheda nullathe spoilt ballot paperPhraseC2
Un segno in più rende la scheda nulla.One mark too many makes the ballot paper spoilt.
osservatore elettoralethe election observerPhraseC2
L’osservatore elettorale prende appunti e non interviene.The election observer takes notes and does not step in.
finanziamento della campagnacampaign financePhraseC2
Il finanziamento della campagna va reso pubblico.Campaign finance has to be made public.
lista di partitothe party listPhraseC2
La lista di partito decide l’ordine dei nomi.The party list settles the order of the names.
seggio vacantethe vacant seatPhraseC2
Il seggio vacante passa al primo dei non eletti.The vacant seat passes to the first of the unelected.
brogli elettoralithe electoral fraudPhraseC2
I brogli elettorali sono stati denunciati subito.The electoral fraud was reported at once.
voto obbligatoriocompulsory votingPhraseC2
In alcuni paesi vige il voto obbligatorio.In some countries compulsory voting is in force.
durata della legislaturathe length of the parliamentary termPhraseC2
La durata della legislatura è fissata dalla costituzione.The length of the parliamentary term is fixed by the constitution.
proclamazione dei risultatithe declaration of the resultPhraseC2
La proclamazione dei risultati avviene dopo il controllo.The declaration of the result takes place after the check.
ricorso elettoralethe election petitionPhraseC2
Il ricorso elettorale è stato respinto.The election petition was dismissed.
uguaglianza del votothe equality of the votePhraseC2
L’uguaglianza del voto vuole collegi di grandezza simile.The equality of the vote calls for constituencies of similar size.
suffragio universaleuniversal suffragePhraseC2
Il suffragio universale è arrivato tardi per le donne.Universal suffrage came late for women.
età per votarethe voting agePhraseC2
L’età per votare è stata abbassata.The voting age has been lowered.
ampiezza del collegiothe district magnitudePhraseC2
L’ampiezza del collegio decide quanto conta un voto in più.District magnitude decides how much one more vote counts.

Noun (m) (3)

Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno

l’elettorato attivothe right to voteNoun (m)C2
L’elettorato attivo si acquista con la maggiore età.The right to vote is acquired on coming of age.
il riparto dei seggithe allocation of seatsNoun (m)C2
Il riparto dei seggi segue una formula matematica.The allocation of seats follows a mathematical formula.
il riconteggiothe recountNoun (m)C2
Il riconteggio ha confermato il risultato.The recount confirmed the result.

Noun (f) (2)

Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno

la candidatura elettoralethe candidacyNoun (f)C2
La candidatura elettorale va depositata entro il termine.The candidacy has to be lodged by the closing date.
la privazione del diritto di votothe loss of the right to voteNoun (f)C2
La privazione del diritto di voto segue solo a una condanna.The loss of the right to vote follows only upon a conviction.

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