Different Electoral Systems

Question 1

What are the three different types of voting systems used in the UK?

Answer 1

Majoritarian, plurality and proportional

Question 2

Which voting systems are likely to produce a two-party system?

Answer 2

Majoritarian and plurality

Question 3

What is needed to win in a majoritarian voting system?

Answer 3

Over 50%

Question 4

What is an example of a majoritarian voting system?

Answer 4

SV (supplementary vote)

Question 5

What is required to win in a plurality voting system?

Answer 5

The most votes

Question 6

What is an example of a plurality voting system?

Answer 6

FPTP

Question 7

What is required to win in a proportional voting system?

Answer 7

Proportional voting systems allocate seats proportionately to the % of votes gained by a party.

Question 8

What is an example of a proportional voting system?

Answer 8

AMS (additional member system) and STV (single transferable vote)

Question 9

What three things have happened in the 21st century to make the results of elections more disproportionate?

Answer 9

Increase in the number of safe seats
More votes for minor parties
Many governments have also lacked a strong majority

Question 10

What does AMS stand for?

Answer 10

Additional member system

Question 11

Where is AMS used?

Answer 11

Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly elections

Question 12

What happens in the AMS system?

Answer 12

Voters cast two votes: one for their local representative and one for their regional representative. In the constituency vote, voters vote for a person, and in the regional vote, they vote for a party.

Question 13

What is the formula for deciding who wins regional seats?

Answer 13

Number of regional votes gained for a party
(Over, as a fraction)
Number of seats the party has gained +1

Question 14

What does STV stand for?

Answer 14

Single transferable vote

Question 15

Where is STV used?

Answer 15

Northern Irish Assembly elections

Question 16

STV is the only system in the UK to use __________ ________.

Answer 16

Ordinal voting (where voters rank candidates in order of preference)

Question 17

What must the candidates achieve to win?

Answer 17

The ‘droop quota’

Question 18

What is the formula for the ‘droop quota’

Answer 18

Number of valid votes cast in a region
(Over, as a fraction)
Number of seats available in a region +1

Then it all in brackets +1

Question 19

How are seats allocated in STV?

Answer 19

Every candidate who achieves the droop quota is automatically given a seat. Any additional votes they have received are given to the second preferences.

Question 20

What happens if there are more seats left and nobody has achieved the droop quota (in STV)?

Answer 20

The least voted for candidate will be eliminated and their votes will be redistributed.

Question 21

Where has SV been used since 2000?

Answer 21

The elections of the mayor of London

Question 22

What does SV stand for?

Answer 22

Supplementary vote

Question 23

What type of voting system is SV?

Answer 23

Majoritarian

Question 24

How are seats allocated in SV?

Answer 24

Voters can select their first and second preferences. The first preference votes are counted. If one candidate has a majority, they win. If no candidates have won a majority, every candidate apart from the top two are eliminated and their votes are redistributed. One candidate must then have won a majority. They win.

Question 25

Would SV produce a two-party system?

Answer 25

Absolutely.