Content Shitttt Flashcards by Elise Pike

Function of Elections

Form governments
> One party normally wins the majority in the HofC
> With the exception of coalitions (1974 and 2010)

Ensure Representation
> Elections link politicians and constituencies
> Constituents’ concerns are articulated and addressed
> Link the government to the people
> Hold the government accountable
> The face of the constituency

Upholding Legitimacy
> By voting
> The public demonstrate their consent to being governed
> An important aspect of maintaining political stability

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Types of Representation

Burkean Theory (Trusteeship)
> Representatives make decisions using their own superior knowledge and education and experience

The Doctrine of the Mandate
> MPs make decisions based on their constituents’ wishes

Descriptive Representation
> Representatives should resemble the group they represent

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Advantages of FPTP

Retains the MP to Constituency link
> Allows the electorate to have a voice in the HofC

Simple to use and easy to understand
> Simple cross on the ballot paper to vote in an election

Produces a strong and stable government
> Single party government

People are content with FPTP
> AV Referendum 2011 (voted no)

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Disadvantages of FPTP

Disproportional
> % votes doesn’t equal % seats

Tactical Voting
> Voting with an agenda

Wasted Votes
> Voting for a losing party = wasted

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Advantages of Closed Party List

Highly proportional result
No wasted votes 
No safe seats 
Very simple ballot paper 
Party list of candidates could be structured to increase the diversity of representatives

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Disadvantages of Closed Party List

No clear link between MP and their constituency
Limited voter choice 
> No say over the MPs 
Great power to the party leaders 
> Tough on independent minded MPs 
Likely to result in a coalition

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Advantages of Single Transferable Vote (STV)

Proportional result
Much greater voter choice 
Fewer wasted votes 
Fairer to third parties
Eliminates safe seats 
Eliminates the need for tactical voting 
Gives constituents a choice of MPs to contact

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Disadvantages of Single Transferable Vote (STV)

More complicated system 
> Longer
> Confusing 
Ballot papers could be lengthy 
Could lead to alphabetical voting 
Coalitions are more likely 
Ends the single MP to Constituency link

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Advantages of Alternative Vote (AV)

MPs must win a majority (not just a plurality)
> At least 50%
MPs have to campaign more broadly 
> To appeal to more voters
Keeps the existing constituency borders 
Reduces the number of safe seats 
Reduces the need for tactical voting

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Disadvantages of Alternative Vote (AV)

Even less proportional than FPTP
Leads to more coalitions
Unequal votes
> Some people get their votes counted more than once
Might elect the least unpopular candidate

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Advantages of Supplementary Vote (SV)

MPs have to campaign more broadly
> Appeal to more voters
Keeps the existing constituency borders 
Keeps the clear link between an MP and their constituency 
Fairly simple system to understand

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Disadvantages of Supplementary Vote (SV)

Not a proportional system
Doesn’t eliminate tactical voting
> Voters guess who the top candidates are
Doesn’t ensure that the winner has a 50% majority

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Advantages of AMS and AV+

Hybrid/Mixed Electoral Systems

Broadly proportional result
Retains the clear MP to Constituency link
Gives voters greater choice
> No wasted votes
Even if one vote is wasted, the other will count

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Disadvantages of AMS AND AV+

Hybrid/Mixed Electoral Systems

Create two classes of MPs
> Some are accountable to the electorate
> Some are accountable to the party
Gives party leaders lots of influence 
More complicated than FPTP
> Lead to incorrectly completed ballots

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Factors that influence Voting Behaviour

Gender
> More women used to vote Conservative than men
> Now more men vote Conservative than women
> More men used to vote Labour than women
> Now more women vote Labour than men

Ethnicity
> More whites vote for Conservatives + Lib Dems + UKIP + Green
> More ethnic minorities vote for Labour

Age
> Young voters = more in favour of equality
> Older voters = more conservative + sceptical about social changes

Region
> Labour = North East + North West + Yorkshire and Humber + London
> Conservative = East Midlands + West Midlands + Eastern + South East + South West

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Features of elections

Held on general issues
Vote for a candidate/party
A feature of representative democracy
Used to fill a representative office/form a government
Regular and legally required

Features of Referendums

Held on specific issues 
Vote yes/no
A feature of direct democracy
Used to make policy decisions
They are decided by the government

Advantages of Proportional Systems

No wasted votes
Few safe seats
Government elected would represent the majority not a minority
Tends to produce a more representative group of MPs
Avoids small number of marginal seats which can control the result
Parties where the vote is scattered (e.g. UK/Green) still get seats

Disadvantages of Proportional Systems

Could lose the MP to Constituency link
Constant Coalitions - minority parties may hold a lot of power
Accountability could be lost
Undemocratic deals made during coalitions
Parties have a lot of power over candidate order

Advantages of Majoritarian Systems

Retains MP to Constituency link
Winner needs a 50% majority
Strong and stable government with majorities
Easy system to understand
No wasted votes

Disadvantages of Majoritarian Systems

Can encourage electoral parties

Favours centre points

Features of Closed Party List

Number of large multi member constituencies
> For European Parliament elections, there are 12 regions, each with 3-10 members

Political parties complete lists of candidates to place before the electorate
> Descending order of preference

Electorate for the political party, not the candidate
> Closed List (the electorate doesn’t know the order of MPs)

Parties are allocated seats in direct proportion to the votes they gain in each regional constituency
> They fill seats from every party list

Features of Single Transferable Vote (STV)

Multimember constituencies
> Northern Ireland Assembly has 18 Constituencies, each returning 6 members

Political parties are able to put up as many candidates as there are seats to fill in each constituency

Electorate vote in order of preference (1,2,3….)

Candidates are elected if they achieve a quote of votes
> Calculated on the basis of the Droop Formula

Votes are counted accounting to preference
> If any candidate achieves the quota, additional votes are counted according to second or subsequent preferences

If seats remain unfilled, the candidate with the fewest votes drops out and his/her votes are redistributed according to second or subsequent preferences

Features of FPTP

Disproportionality

Systematic Biases
> Single party
> Distribution of support

Two Party System
> Politics is dominated by two major parties
> Hard for smaller parties to get any substantial votes

Single party Government
> Provides the country with a strong, stable, united government

Landslide Effect
> Tends to produce a winner’s bonus

Features of Elections

Elections are central to the theory and practice of democracy in the UK ``` Based on: > Universal adult suffrage > One person, one vote > The secret ballot > Competition between candidates and parties ``` The main link between the government and the public > Voting is the most important form of political participation Opportunity to vote has increased significantly in recent years

2015 General Election Statistics

``` Turnout = 66.6% > England = 65.8% > Wales = 65.7% > Scotland = 71.1% > Northern Ireland = 58.1% ``` Conservative Party > Led by David Cameron > 36.8% vote = 11,300,109 > 50.8% MPs = 330 Labour Party > Led by Ed Miliband > 30.5% vote = 9,347,324 > 35.7% MPs = 232 Scottish National Party (SNP) > Led by Nicola Sturgeon > 4.7% vote = 1,454,436 > 8.6% MPs = 56 Liberal Democrats > Led by Nick Clegg > 7.9% vote = 2,415,862 > 1.2% MPs = 8 UK Independence Party (UKIP) > Led by Nigel Farage > 12.7% vote = 3,881,099 > 0.2% MPs = 1 Green Party > Led by Natalie Bennett > 3.8% vote = 1,157,613 > 0.2% MPs = 1

Features of Alternative Vote (AV)

Single member constituencies Disproportionate result Can number candidates in order of preference > Gives the electorate more choice Winning candidate needs a majority of the vote > At least 50%

Features of Additional Member System (AMS)

AMS is the hybrid system used in the UK for Scottish and Welsh elections Its purpose was to protect the FPTP constituency link while introducing proportionality Constituency Vote > FPTP > Return an MSP to Scottish Parliament > 73 Constituency MSPs Regional Vote > Closed Party List > 56 Regional MSPs

Reasons for Class Dealignment

``` Social class has become much more complex > Decline in traditional industries > Rise of the 'new' working class ``` Trade Union membership has declined > Home ownership has increased Increasing affluence > Lack of solidarity among the lower socio-economic class More mobility between social classes

Reasons for Partisan Dealignment

Increased Education > Voters are more likely to question party loyalties Media > Voters have greater source of political information Ideological Change > Part policies and ideas have changed a lot (especially since 1980s) Decline in social capital > Society has become more complex and individualistic > Social loyalties have declined

Media Impact on Voting Behaviour

Perceived as influential in the past, although with the rise of new media, the impact on voting behaviour seems to have changed Media can set the agenda > Particularly on emotive topics like immigration > May indirectly affect the way that people vote Politicians need to be able to represent themselves well on television > Particularly with TV debates and interviews

Theories of voting behaviour

Sociological Model > Emphasises the: > Long-term factors > Structural factors Party Identification Model > Voters identify and emotionally engage with parties > The party they vote for becomes part of their identity Issue-voting Model (Rational Choice Model)

Explaining Low Turnout

Predictability > Elections have become more predictable (thanks to polls) > Some people don't vote because they don't think their vote will impact on the result Indistinguishable Parties > Three main parties' policies don't differ that extensively Lack of trust in politicians > Caused by a series of scandals > Especially the Expenses Scandal in 2008 Reduced moral obligation > People feel less morally bound to vote compared to society immediately after WW2 > The ability to vote is now taken for granted Declining Loyalty > Many people no longer feel any loyalty towards a party > Feel less inclined to vote