View source for Template:Election box/doc

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{{Lua|Module:Political party}}

These election box templates are for displaying a list of candidates and results for any election.  They produce tables like this (figures are just examples; they are not meant to work mathematically):

{{Election box begin |title=[[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]]: Strangford}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
  |party      = Conservative
  |candidate  = John Smith
  |votes      = 101,549
  |percentage = 63.8
  |change     = +6.2
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
  |party      = Labour Party (UK)
  |candidate  = Jane Johnson
  |votes      = 52,201
  |percentage = 31.6
  |change     = −8.2
}}
{{Election box majority
   |votes      = 153,700
   |percentage = 72.4
   |change     = +5.4
 }}
 {{Election box turnout
   |votes      = 9,999
   |percentage = 50.0
   |change     = +10.0
 }}
{{Election box registered electors
   |reg. electors = 319,998
|change = +3.6
}}
{{Election box end}}<!--
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==Usage==

====Basic====
There are three basic templates:

*{{tl|Election box begin}}
*{{tl|Election box candidate}}
*{{tl|Election box end}}

The ''begin'' and ''end'' templates start and end a table with appropriate columns and formatting.  The ''candidate'' template is used once for each candidate and contributes a row to the table.

When using this template '''please''' use the ''election box end'' template rather than simply inserting <nowiki>|}</nowiki> at the end of the election box.  

For example:
 <nowiki>
 {{Election box begin |title=[[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]]: Strangford}}
 {{Election box candidate
   |party      = Labour
   |candidate  = Tony Blair
   |votes      = 9,999
   |percentage = 50.0
   |change     = +10.0
 }}
 {{Election box candidate
   |party      = Conservative
   |candidate  = Michael Howard
   |votes      = 9,999
   |percentage = 50.0
   |change     = +10.0
 }}
 {{Election box end}}
 </nowiki>

Will create this:
{{Election box begin |title=[[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]]: Strangford}}
{{Election box candidate
  |party      = Labour
  |candidate  = Tony Blair
  |votes      = 9,999
  |percentage = 50.0
  |change     = +10.0
}}
{{Election box candidate
  |party      = Conservative
  |candidate  = Michael Howard
  |votes      = 9,999
  |percentage = 50.0
  |change     = +10.0
}}
{{Election box end}}

====Party links====
See [[Template:Election box candidate with party link]] for usage and set-up.

====Majority and turnout====
Three further templates:

* {{tl|Election box majority}}
* {{tl|Election box turnout}}
* {{tl|Election box registered electors}}

can be added to record the majority, turnout and number of registered electors for an election. (In this context, "[[majority]]" refers to the winning margin between the first and second placed candidates.)

For example:
 <nowiki>
 ...
 {{Election box majority
   |votes      = 9,999
   |percentage = 50.0
   |change     = +10.0
 }}
 {{Election box turnout
   |votes      = 9,999
   |percentage = 50.0
   |change     = +10.0
 }}
 {{Election box registered electors|
   |reg. electors = 19,998
   |ref           =
   |change        = +2.3
 }}
 {{Election box end}}
 </nowiki>

Will create this:
{{Election box begin |title=[[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]]: Strangford}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
  |party      = Labour Party (UK)
  |candidate  = Tony Blair
  |votes      = 9,999
  |percentage = 50.0
  |change     = +10.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
  |party      = Conservative Party (UK)
  |candidate  = Michael Howard
  |votes      = 9,999
  |percentage = 50.0
  |change     = +10.0
}}
 {{Election box majority
   |votes      = 9,999
   |percentage = 50.0
   |change     = +10.0
 }}
 {{Election box turnout
   |votes      = 9,999
   |percentage = 50.0
   |change     = +10.0
 }}
 {{Election box registered electors
   |reg. electors = 19,998
   |change        = +2.3
 }}
{{Election box end}}

====Election outcome====
Finally there are two templates:

* {{tl|Election box hold with party link}}
* {{tl|Election box gain with party link}}

that can be used to summarize the outcome of an election, in terms of whether the incumbent holds the seat or whether it is lost to another party.

For example:
 <nowiki>
 ...
 {{Election box hold with party link
   |winner     = Labour Party (UK)
   |swing      = +10.0
 }}

 or...

 {{Election box gain with party link
   |winner     = Conservative Party (UK)
   |loser      = Labour Party (UK)
   |swing      = +10.0
 }}
 {{Election box end}}
 </nowiki>

Will create this:
{{Election box begin |title=[[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]]: Strangford}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
  |party      = Labour Party (UK)
  |candidate  = Tony Blair
  |votes      = 9,999
  |percentage = 50.0
  |change     = +10.0
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
  |party      = Conservative Party (UK)
  |candidate  = Michael Howard
  |votes      = 9,999
  |percentage = 50.0
  |change     = +10.0
}}
 {{Election box majority
   |votes      = 9,999
   |percentage = 50.0
   |change     = +10.0
 }}
 {{Election box turnout
   |votes      = 9,999
   |percentage = 50.0
   |change     = +10.0
 }}
{{Election box registered electors|
   |reg. electors = 19,998
   |change        = +9.9
}}
 {{Election box hold with party link
   |winner     = Labour Party (UK)
   |swing      = +10.0
 }}
{{Election box end}}

or this...

{{Election box begin |title=[[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]]: Strangford}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
  |party      = Labour Party (UK)
  |candidate  = Tony Blair
  |votes      = 9,999
  |percentage = 50.0
  |change     = +10.0
}}
 {{Election box candidate with party link
  |party      = Conservative Party (UK)
  |candidate  = Michael Howard
  |votes      = 9,999
  |percentage = 50.0
  |change     = +10.0
 }}
 {{Election box majority
   |votes      = 9,999
   |percentage = 50.0
   |change     = +10.0
 }}
 {{Election box turnout
   |votes      = 9,999
   |percentage = 50.0
   |change     = +10.0
 }}
{{Election box registered electors|
   |reg. electors = 19,998
   |change        = +9.9
}}0
 {{Election box gain with party link
   |winner     = Conservative Party (UK)
   |loser      = Labour Party (UK)
   |swing      = +10.0
 }}
{{Election box end}}

Notes:
*The ''swing'' parameter represents [[Peter Snow]]'s [[Swingometer]] measure, i.e. the percentage change (or swing) in the vote since the last election.
*When preparing the tables in advance of an election, it may be convenient to include these two templates but commented out (using <code> &lt;!-- and --> </code>) until the outcome is known.
*Potentially there is a need for versions of these templates that do not have the ''party link'' mechanism.  However, it can be argued that any party that has a successful candidate deserves an article about them and the full /meta/color treatment.  The one obvious exception to this is, of course, independent candidates, who won't actually have a party.  If / when there's a need, just create a non ''party link'' version of these templates.
*When {{Para|change}} represents a decrease, use a minus sign (−), not a hyphen (-).

==List of templates==
{{List of Election Box Templates}}

===Blanks by country===
* [[Template:Election box/UK-blanks|United Kingdom]]
* [[Template:Election box/US blanks|United States]]

===Extensions===
*[[Template:Election FPTP begin]] As 1, but includes an additional column for expenditures. [[Bulkley Valley-Stikine|Example]]
*[[Template:Election box begin for list]] As 1, but better suited to list-based multi-member constituencies. [[London (European Parliament constituency)|Example]]
*[[Template:Election box candidate for alliance]] As 3, with an additional "side" party. [[Newbury (UK Parliament constituency)#Elections in the 1980s|Example]]

==See also==
*[[Template:Compact election box]] A more compact box for first-past-the-post elections

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