Crib sheet 5: Electoral system

Question 1

What were the stages until we got universal suffrage

Answer 1

the franchise was limited to property owning classes.
1832 Great Reform Act gave vote to adult men who owned property more than £10
1918 representation of the people act gave vote to women over 30 and men over 21
1928 representation of the people act gave vote to women and men over 21
1969 representation of the people act lowered voting age to 18

Question 2

what is the franchise

Answer 2

the right to vote

Question 3

what is a general election

Answer 3

when all 650 MPs resign to contest their seats

Question 4

what is a by-election

Answer 4

an election in a single constituency when an MP resigns or dies.

Question 5

Five-year fixed term

Answer 5

the 2010 Coalition government introduced a five year fixedd tem. A vote of no confidence in the government or a vote by two thirds of the house of commons could trigger an election. Was replaced by current government and the PM decided when the next general election is.

Question 6

Who can vote on national elections

Answer 6

18+
British, Irish, Commonwealth citizens who normally reside in UK
on the Electoral Register

Question 7

Who can’t vote

Answer 7

Peers in lords
Foreigners (inc EU)
People detained under the mental health act for crimes.
Convicted prisoners
People convicted of corrupt or illegal electoral practices
The King and heirs dont vote although there is no law

Question 8

Who can’t stand in national elections

Answer 8

Peers
Undischarged bankrupts
People convicted under the mental health act for crimes
Prisoners with more than one year long sentence
People convicted of illegal or corrupt electoral practices (10 years ban in the same constituency, 5 years for another one)
Senior civil servants
members of armed forced
police officers
judges

Question 8

Who can stant in national elections

Answer 8

18+
British, Irish, Commonwealth citizen residing in UK

Question 9

What are the two ways of voting

Answer 9

Plurality Voting (first past the post)
Proporional Representation

Question 10

Plurality Voting (FPTP)

Answer 10

Simple and straightforward.
Candidate with most voted is elected.
Party with majority votes form government.
They need to reach 326 seats

Question 11

What happenes if they dont reach. 326 seats

Answer 11

That is a hung parliament. They can try to form a minority administration on a vote by vote basis which is unstable as the other parties can gang up on them.
Enter a confidence and supply agreement with other parties to support them on big votes.
Form a formal Coalition with other parties to reach 326 seats with an agreed list of legislation.

Question 12

Single Transferable Vote (STV)

Answer 12

Voters mark candidates in order of preference in multi member constituencies. If one reaches the quota, the surplus votes are re-calculated with their second choice now counted as their first (Used in norhtern ireland Assembly elections)

Question 12

Proportional representation

Answer 12

FPTP is unfair because it does not distribute seats on the basis of the proportion of votes cast. Votes for candidates who are not the winner are wasted.

Question 13

Party List

Answer 13

Parties list their chosen candidates in order of priority and voters invited to vote for that party. Open party lists give voters say on the order of the list but closed party lists don’t.

Question 14

Alternative vote

Answer 14

In single member consituencies, if a candidate has more than 50% of votes they are elected. If not, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated and votes are redistributed based on second choice.

Question 15

Supplementary vote

Answer 15

If no candidate gets majority then all are eliminated apart from the top 2 candidates and votes are redistributed based on second preference.

Question 16

Additional Member System

Answer 16

Hybrid system where some candidates are elected in single member consituencies based on FPTP and second votes are used to top up from regional lists.

Question 17

The Electoral process

Answer 17

Candidates must pay £500 deposit which is lost if they get less than 5%.
They can spend £8,700 plus 6p (9p in rural areas) per voter on campaigning.
Spending is overseen by Electoral Commission
Elections always take place on Thursdays and polls close at 10 pm.
Ballot boxes are taken to the count.
Election workers count them into piles. Candidates, party workers and press can observe to prevent electoral fraud.
overseen by Returning officer who announced result.
Candidates can demand recount if vote is close.
If it is dead heat, lots are drawn.

Question 18

How to fight low turnout

Answer 18

Make voting compulsory by imposing fines (Australia)
Electronic voting
Voting for more than one day
Voting on Saturday or over weekend
Placing polling stations in malls and supermarkets.

Question 19

Local Authority Elections

Answer 19

Councillors are elected in four year terms. Devided into wards. Up to three councillor can represent each ward.

Question 20

How often are local authority elections

Answer 20

Local authorities can choose:
to have all councillor face election every four years.
Half of the councillor face election every two years.
One third on councillor face election every year with a fallow year when there is no election.

Question 21

Who can stand in Local Elections

Answer 21

UK, Irish, Commonwealth and EU citizens residing in UK
Must be on electoral register or
Own property for 12 months or
reside in area for 12 months
or main place of work be in area for 12 months.

Question 22

Who can vote on Local elections

Answer 22

18+
On electoral register
British, Irish, Commonwealth and EU residents in UK

Question 23

Who can’t vote

Answer 23

Patients convicted under mental health act of crimes.
People convicte d of corrupt election practises.

Question 24

How much can local candidatas spend

Answer 24

£806 and 7p per voter