Chapter 3 - Electoral outcomes

Question 1

What are the functions and importance of elections?

Answer 1

• Choose representatives.
• Political participation.
• Holding government and representatives to account.
• Vital part of any democracy, giving people a voice and choice.
• Education.
• They provide a mandate.

Question 2

What are the 6 positive aspects of UK elections?

Answer 2

• Little corruption.
• Constituency system ensures clear representation.
• Produce clear, decisive results (usually).
• They are regular, especially with the Fixed Term Parliaments Act passed in 2011.
• Anyone can stand and virtually all adults can vote.
• Freedom of information for voters.

Question 3

What are the 3 negative aspects of UK elections?

Answer 3

• FPTP is unrepresentative and leads to wasted votes and votes of unequal value.
• Small parties struggle.
• Governments do not have the support of a majority of the electorate.

Question 4

Who do we vote for in general elections, parties or people?

Answer 4

People, although party is arguably what people focus on.

Question 5

Why might we conclude that the link between FPTP and single-party government has been broken?

Answer 5

Because the 2010, 2015, and 2017 failed to produce strong and stable government majorities and in both 2010 and 2017 they produced no majority at all.

Question 6

What is tactical voting?

Answer 6

When voters feel their first choice of vote will be wasted because the party has no chance of winning, so they vote for someone else in the hope of influencing the outcome.

Question 7

Who typically votes tactically?

Answer 7

Liberal Democrat and Green Party voters since they are unlikely to beat Labour or the Conservatives in most constituencies.

Question 8

What was the Conservative’s majority in 2015?

Answer 8

12

Question 9

What was Boris’ majority in December 2019?

Answer 9

80

Question 10

How many seats did the Conservatives win in 2019?

Answer 10

365

Question 11

What percentage of the vote went to the two main parties in 2019?

Answer 11

77%

Question 12

What was the turnout at the 2019 general election?

Answer 12

67%

Question 13

What percentage of the vote did the Conservatives win in 2019?

Answer 13

45%

Question 14

When was the last Scottish Parliament election?

Answer 14

May 2021

Question 15

How many seats did the SNP win in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election?

Answer 15

64 - one short of a majority

Question 16

What percentage of the vote went to the two main parties in 1979?

Answer 16

80.8%

Question 17

What percentage of the votes went to the two main parties in 2010?

Answer 17

65.1%

Question 18

How many seats did Sinn Fein win in May 2022?

Answer 18

27, second largest the DUP’s 25 seats