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politics > Chapter 3 - Electoral systems > Flashcards

Chapter 3 - Electoral systems Flashcards

1
Q

What is the formal title of first past the post?

A

Plurality in single-member constituencies.

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2
Q

How many constituencies are there in the UK?

A

650

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3
Q

What is the average adult population of each constituency?

A

75,000

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4
Q

What is plurality?

A

When you only need more votes than anyone else to win an election, not an absolute majority.

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5
Q

How many MPs won an absolute majority in the 2015 general election?

A

316

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6
Q

What are the five main features of first past the post?

A
  1. There is one MP for each constituency.
  2. It is simple.
  3. It gives an advantage to parties with concentrated support.
  4. It favours large parties.
  5. Tends to produce an outright winner.
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7
Q

What is a safe seat?

A

A seat where the same party is virtually guaranteed to win every election.

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8
Q

What are the four implications of safe seats?

A
  1. Parties pay little attention to them at election times.
  2. MPs in safe seats are held less accountable.
  3. Voters may feel their votes are wasted.
  4. Votes are of unequal value.
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9
Q

How many votes were estimated to be wasted votes in the 2015 general election?

A

22 million

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10
Q

What is a marginal seat?

A

A constituency where the outcome of an election is unpredictable and changes.

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11
Q

What do marginal seats encourage?

A

Tactical voting, when voters place their votes for their second choice to try and stop another party winning.

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12
Q

What are the arguments in favour of retaining first past the post?

A
  • Easy to understand.
  • Quick results.
  • Close bond between constituency and MP.
  • Accountability is clear.
  • Promotes strong, stable, decisive government.
  • Stood the test of time.
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13
Q

What are the arguments against retaining first past the post?

A
  • Outcome is not proportional or fair.
  • Leads to wasted votes.
  • Votes are of unequal value.
  • Encourages tactical voting.
  • Hinders new parties.
  • Governments are elected without a popular majority.
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14
Q

What percentage of the vote did the Conservatives win in 2015, securing them a majority?

A

36.9%

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15
Q

What sort of system is the Additional Member System?

A

A hybrid system

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16
Q

What does AMS combine?

A

FPTP with proportional representation.

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17
Q

Where is AMS used?

A

Scotland, Wales, and the Greater London Assembly.

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18
Q

What is used to calculate the number of seats awarded via party lists in Scotland?

A

The D’Hondt method.

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19
Q

How does the D’Hondt method work?

A

Parties that do well under the first past the post part of the system in Scotland have their proportion of party list seats adjusted down, while parties that do not do well under FPTP have their party list seats adjusted upwards, making the outcome overall proportionally fairer.

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20
Q

What are the four advantages of AMS?

A
  1. Produces a proportional outcome.
  2. Gives voters two votes and so more choice.
  3. Combines constituency representation with proportionality.
  4. Helps small parties.
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21
Q

What are the two drawbacks to AMS?

A
  1. Produces two classes of representative, with those elected via party lists being more senior.
  2. It is more complex.
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22
Q

Who do people vote for under regional list elections?

A

They vote for parties rather than individuals.

23
Q

Where is Single Transferable Vote used in the UK?

A
  • In Northern Ireland, for all of its elections.
  • Local government elections in Scotland.
24
Q

Under STV, how many seats are there per constituency?

A

6

25
Q

How many candidates can a party put up under the STV system?

A

6 - as many as there are seats.

26
Q

How do people cast their vote under STV?

A

They rank the candidates in order of preference from 1-6.

27
Q

Do voters under STV have to vote for candidates from the same party or can they mix?

A

They can mix and vote for candidates from any party they want to.

28
Q

What does a candidate have to achieve in order to win their seat under STV?

A

They must reach the electoral quota.

29
Q

How is the electoral quota under STV calculated?

A

Total number of votes cast divided by 7. For example:

If 50,000 votes were cast, the electoral quota would be 50,000 divided by 7 = 7,143.

30
Q

How are candidates elected under STV?

A

All of the first preferences of the voters are counted; anyone who achieves the electoral quota at this stage is automatically elected. All of the second choice votes of the elected candidate are added to the votes cast for other candidates, and this continues until 6 people have achieved the quota.

31
Q

What does Single Transferable Vote ensure?

A

That voters 6 most popular candidates overall are elected, producing a highly proportional outcome.

32
Q

What percentage of seats did the Democratic Unionists win in the 2016 NI Assembly elections?

A

35.2%

33
Q

What percentage of first preference votes did the DUP win in the 2016 NI Assembly elections?

A

29.2%

34
Q

What are the 5 advantages of Single Transferable Vote?

A
  1. Proportional outcome.
  2. Wide choice of candidates.
  3. Show a preference between candidates of the same party.
  4. Helps small parties and independents.
  5. Voters’ second and subsequent choices are taken into consideration.
35
Q

What are the 4 drawbacks of Single Transferable Vote?

A
  1. It is complex.
  2. Vote counting is complicated and takes a long time.
  3. Helps extremist candidates.
  4. Accountability is not clear as there are 6 representatives.
36
Q

What is the Supplementary Vote system designed to do?

A

Produce a single winner that can claim an overall majority of support.

37
Q

When is the Supplementary Vote system used in the UK?

A

To elect city mayors or PCCs.

38
Q

How many votes do people cast under the Supplementary Vote system?

A

2

39
Q

How does the Supplementary Vote system work?

A
  • Everyone gets 2 votes: a first a second choice.
  • If a candidate receives 50% of the first choice votes then they are automatically elected.
  • If this does not happen the top 2 candidates go into a second round of counting and all other candidates drop out.
  • The second-choice votes of the candidates that dropped out are added to the 2 remaining candidates and an overall winner is produced.
40
Q

What percentage of the vote did Sadiq Khan get in the first round of voting for the 2016 London Mayor election?

A

44.2% - as he did not get 50% the election went to a second round of counting.

41
Q

What percentage of the vote did Sadiq Khan get after the second round of counting in the 2016 London Mayor election?

A

56.8% - he beat Zac Goldsmith.

42
Q

What are the 3 advantages of the Supplementary Vote system?

A
  1. The winning candidate has an overall majority.
  2. Simple to understand.
  3. Voters have 2 choices and they are important.
43
Q

What is the drawback of the Supplementary Vote system?

A

A winning candidate may not enjoy first-choice support and win on second choices.

44
Q

Why are there so many different electoral systems used across the UK?

A

To try and produce a party system that is most desirable in each context.

45
Q

Why was STV decided on for Northern Ireland?

A

To provide all sections of a divided community with representation.

46
Q

What type of system is FPTP?

A

Plurality

47
Q

What type of system is Additional Member System?

A

Hybrid

48
Q

What type of system is Single Transferable Vote?

A

Proportional

49
Q

What type of system is Supplementary Vote?

A

Majority

50
Q

Where is AMS used?

A
  • Scottish parliamentary elections
  • Welsh Assembly elections
  • Greater London Assembly
51
Q

When did the British people reject the Alternative Vote system?

A

In a referendum in 2011

52
Q

Why does the decisive rejection of AV in 2011 not mean there is not desire for electoral reform?

A
  • Many people voted against AV to punish the unpopular Lib Dems.
  • Not many people understood AV.
  • The conservatives did not support the referendum.
53
Q

Where is there not a two-party system?

A

In the devolved regions

politics (43 decks)

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