The strength of the parties in the state parliament (Landtag) is determined by the ratio of the total number of votes.
Only the number of votes is decisive for the election result, not the original order of the candidates on the ballot paper.
In local elections according to the southern German system, voters have several votes, usually as many as there are seats to be filled.
By cumulative voting and panachage, they can essentially put together their own list from the offers of the various parties.
However, in most cantons, the Council of States is elected using the winner-take-all system, as are almost all executive bodies.