Elections Flashcards
Why do general elections take place?
To elect a MP to the commons
Why would a regional election/vote take place?
To elect a local councillor for local government (county and district council), a police and crime commissioner ect.
Why are referendums held?
Referendums are held too vote on a single issue e.g Brexit
How does a general election work?
Each MP who has a seat in parliament formally resigns for contest , elections are held in every constituency simultaneously, a new parliament is summoned by the sovereign once votes are counted and seats are allocated.
What is the electoral system for the House of Commons?
The candidate with the most votes - a relative majority- is elected and given a seat in the House of Commons. The party with the most seats in commons forms the government. The party that has the most seats when counted has the ‘over all’ majority.
What is a hung parliament?
A hung parliament describes when the party with more seats only has a handful more than it’s rival. There is no ‘over all’ majority. The last example of this was in 2017
What criteria is there to have the right to vote?
Be at least 18+ on the day of the election and be resisted to vote.
Be a British, Irish of qualifying commonwealth citizen.
Be a resident at an address in the UK or Gibraltar or a British citizen living abroad but has been resisted to vote in the last 15 years.
Not be legally excluded
Who is barred from voting?
Peers still entitled to sit in the Lords,
Patients detained under mental health issues after criminal conviction.
Convicted criminals
Foreign nationals
What ways can you vote?
Vote in person at the polling station which is open between 10am-7pm. Apply to the returning officer saying you do not wish to vote in person or have someone vote for you, usually done if the elector is oversees
Who can stand to run for MP?
Any citizen of Britain, Irish Republic or Commonwealth country citizen can stand as long as they are 18+ on the day of the election.
Can convicted prisoners stand for MP?
Convicted prisoners can’t vote in elections but can stand for MP if they are serving less than 12 months in prison.
What is the first past-the-post system?
The first part the post electoral system is to elect MPs and local council members in England and Wales. The UK is divided into constituency and the local authorities are divided into a ward. Voters put X next to their chosen candidates name on a ballot paper, each vote is counted and the candidate with the most votes represents that ward or constituent.
Name and explain the supplmentary electoral system.
The supplementary vote- used to elect Mayors in England and Wales. Similar to the alternative vote system, candidates can put as few or as many candidates in order of preference as they like. If a candidate gets more than 50% of votes they win. The two candidates who has the most votes enter a run off, all other candidates are eliminated.if your first place candidate didn’t get through but your second place candidate is out of the two, your vote goes to them. The votes are then recounted.
What is an alternative vote electoral system?
– used to elect many Commons committee chairs, the Lord Speaker and by-elections for hereditary peers. Voters rank candidates in order of preference – can rank as many or as few as they like.
First preference votes counted – if a candidate gets more than 50% they win, otherwise candidate with fewest first preference eliminated, their second preference votes are reallocated. Process continues until someone has over 50%
Issues with the first past-the-post system?
Votes cast for unsuccessful candidates are wasted, tactical voting emerges- people voting for people they think will get in to block those who they least like
- in 2017, 6.5m people tried to game the system like this
-government has been formed with majorities disproportionate to the voting shares
