3. Electoral Systems

Question 1

What are the roles and functions of an election in society?

Answer 1

Will of the majority made clear 
Confer legitimacy
Form governments
Provide a choice of political programme
Participation
Representation
Holding government to account

Question 2

What is a mandate?

Answer 2

An electoral mandate refers to the authority extended to the winning party or candidate in following success in an election. Grants permission to act or produce legislation in accordance with the promise or manifesto offered.

Question 3

What is a manifesto?

Answer 3

A manifesto is the political beliefs and values the party holds and is going to implement if they get elected

Question 4

Do elections promote democracy?

Yes

Answer 4

Educate the public 
Encourage participation 
Offer the electorate a choice 
MPs and Government are held to account by the people in ensuring they act in the national interest
Ensure a peaceful change of power 
Ultimate expression of the popular will

Question 5

Do elections promote democracy?

No

Answer 5

Fail to educate the wider electorate and rather mislead
Take decision making away from the people as a form of representative democracy
Elections do not indicate which section of a manifesto the electorate agree with
So few differences between main political parties and so choice is limited

Question 6

Where is First Past The Post (FPTP) used?

Answer 6

Westminster General Elections

Local Government in England and Wales

Question 7

How does FPTP work?

Answer 7

Single member constituencies
Each voter has one vote and casts it for who they want to be their MP in their constituency.
Each MP represents a political party = a seat in Government
The party that receives the plurality (majority) is able to form a government

Question 8

What is the number of seats needed to win a general election?

Answer 8

326

Question 9

What are marginal seats?

Answer 9

A constituency held with a very small lead.

Marginal seats are seats in which a small amount of votes is required to change the party affiliation

Question 10

Examples of marginal seats

Answer 10

2017 SNP won North East Fife by 2 votes

Question 11

What is a safe seat?

Answer 11

A safe seat is a seat in which there is an overwhelming majority for a party MP in which there is very little chance of changing party affiliations

Question 12

Example of a safe seat

Answer 12

Gateshead - Labour

Blythe - Labour then Conservative

Question 13

Advantages of FPTP

Answer 13

Simple
Quick and easy to use
MPs have a close relationship with constituents
Prevents extremist parties from rising
Creates stability and usually forms a strong and stable Government to enact on the national interest

Question 14

Disadvantages of FPTP

Answer 14

Marginal Seats
Safe Seats
Produces a two-party system with a lack of accurate representation
Inaccurate in results and unrepresentative
Wasted voting
Discriminates against small parties

Question 15

Where is Single Transferable Vote (STV) used?

Answer 15

Northern Ireland Assembly

Scottish Local Council elections

Question 16

How does STV work?

Answer 16

Multi-member constituencies
Voters number their preferences
In order to be elected a candidate must get more votes than the quota in the Droop Formula
If no one receives the quota, the surplus votes are redistributed eliminating candidates until all seats are filled

Question 17

Advantages of STV

Answer 17

Offers voters more than one representative who they may align with better
Greater choice of candidates
Fewer votes are wasted
No need for tactical voting
No safe seats meaning votes are all of equal value and candidates must be good and complacent
Coalition Government very likely

Question 18

Disadvantages of STV

Answer 18

Takes a long time to produce a result due to process
Can lead to ‘donkey voting’
Lines of accountability are blurred
Ballot papers may be spoiled due to it being a complex process

Question 19

Example of STV in action

Answer 19

Northern Ireland Assembly 2017
18 multi-member constituencies with each one getting 5 representatives = 90
DUP - 28 seats and 28.1% of the vote
Sinn Fein - 27 seats and 27.9% of the vote
SDUP - 12 seats and 11.9% of the vote
Green - 2 seats and 2.3% of the vote

Question 20

Where is Supplementary Vote used?

Answer 20

Mayoral Elections

Police and Crime Commissioners Elections

Question 21

How does SV work?

Answer 21

Voters are given 2 preferential votes for candidates
First vote is for a candidate who must achieve 50% + if they want to be elected.
Second choice votes used if no one reaches 50%

Question 22

What type of system is SV?

Answer 22

Majoritarian

Question 23

What is a majoritarian system?

Answer 23

Associated with a strong, single party Government

Must gain a majority in order to be elected

Question 24

Advantages of SV

Answer 24

Relatively simple system to use 
Encourages moderate campaigning 
Reduces tactical voting 
Reduction in wasted votes
Ensures good and strong links between candidate and those who they represent

Question 25

Disadvantages of SV

Answer 25

Smaller parties/candidates needs to secure enough 1st preference votes which is hard
Not all candidates receive the majority in the 1st preference vote
May need to vote tactically to determine top two candidates to avoid wasted votes

Question 26

Where is the Additional Member System used?

Answer 26

Scottish Parliament

Welsh Assembly

Question 27

How does AMS work?

Answer 27

Voters are given two separate votes.
First vote is used to choose a member for their local constituency in which the most votes leads to a win
Second vote is for a candidate from a party list - top-up members

Question 28

What type of system is AMS?

Answer 28

Proportional System

Question 29

Advantages of AMS

Answer 29

Each member is directly accountable just like a single-member constituency
Proportional and so is more accurate and representative of the electorate
Voters given a wider choice
Coalition Government is more likely

Question 30

Disadvantages of AMS

Answer 30

Smaller parties are less represented in this system
Two types of representatives are created which may bring about animosity between them and confusion
List members are chosen by the party and are answerable to the party, not the voters as they did not decide
Can be a complicated system

Question 31

What is a referendum?

Answer 31

Direct democracy

A vote on a particular issue

Question 32

Advantages of using referendums

Answer 32

Allow electorate to decide on big constitutional issues
Help to create a more engaged and better educated and informed electorate
Strengthen democracy by allowing the public to speak for themselves
Can settle longstanding disputes and disagreements
Further opportunity to participate

Question 33

Disadvantages of using referendums

Answer 33

Undermine the authority of Parliament
May impose a decision on a reluctant Parliament
Can be asked more than once until the right answer is achieved
Can bring about a very divisive society
Campaigns may be misleading and oversimplify complex issues
Decisions in the hands of those who lack specialised knowledge
Simplify and distort issues
Too regular use may result in voter disillusion and apathy

Question 34

What is a coalition Government?

Answer 34

When no majority is achieved and so two parties run government together to gain a majority

Question 35

How many members does the Northern Ireland Assembly have?

How many by STV

Answer 35

90
multi-member constituencies
5 in 18 constituencies

Question 36

How many members does the Scottish Parliament have?

How many members by what system?

Answer 36

129
73 by FPTP
56 by AMS

Question 37

How many members does the Welsh Assembly have?

How many members by what system?

Answer 37

60
40 FPTP
20 AMS