AV ( Alternative Vote )

Question 1

How does AV work?

Answer 1

1. Voters rank candidates in order of preference if a candidate receives the majority of first place votes they win
2. If no single candidate receives the majority the second choices for the candidate in last place/ at the bottom are redistributed
3. The process is repeated until one candidate gets an absolute majority

AV is used in the Australian House of Representatives and is a majoritarian system

Question 2

What are the weaknesses of AV?

Answer 2

. It does very little to give a voice to those who have traditionally been under represented in parliament
. It does not give proportionality to other parties or other bodies of opinion and therefore maintains a similar problem to that of FPTP

Question 3

What are the advantages of AV?

Answer 3

. It prevents MPs being elected on a minority of the vote e.g. In 1997 47.1% of British MPs were elected by less than 50% of the votes in their constituencies. In 1992 40.1% of MPs were not supported by as many as 50% of their constituents.

. All MPs would have the support of a majority of their constituents
. Extreme parties would be more unlikely to arise under AV and coalition governments would be no more likely to arise than they are under FPTP.