Alabama_paradox.mw

The '''[[Alabama]] Paradox''' refers to the pathologicial scenario of the [[Hamilton method]] in which an increase in the total number of seats in the legislature would cause an electoral district or political party to lose a seat.

For example:
{|
|-
! Party !! Votes
|-
| A || 56.7%
|-
| B || 38.5%
|-
| C || 4.2%
|-
| D || 0.6%
|}

With 323 seats, the Hamilton method gives:
{|
|-
! Party !! Quotas !! Seats
|-
| A || 183.141 || 183
|-
| B || 124.355 || 124
|-
| C || 13.566 || '''14'''
|-
| D || 1.938 || 2
|}

But with 324 seats:
{|
|-
! Party !! Quotas !! Seats
|-
| A || 183.708 || 184
|-
| B || 124.740 || 125
|-
| C || 13.608 || '''13'''
|-
| D || 1.944 || 2
|}

The Alabama Paradox is named after the 1880 observation by U.S. census clerk C.W. Seaton that the state of Alabama would lose one of its 8 seats in the House of Representatives if the size of the House were increased from 299 to 300.