Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

politics > Elections > Flashcards

Elections Flashcards

1
Q

What is a general election?

A

Full parliamentary elections in which all the seats in the house of commons are up for re-election

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is devolved assembly election?

A

Elections to Scottish Parliament, Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies, every 4 years

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are Local Elections?

A

Elections to district, borough and county council. There are elections for metro Mayors and the London Assembly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is plurality?

A

Largest number out of a collection of numbers, a simple majority, not an absolute majority

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is majority?

A

Voting system in which winning candidates must receive an overall majority (over 50%) of votes to win a seat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is hybrid system?

A

Mixed system which makes use of plurality and proportional to achieve a more proportional outcome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a multi-member contituency?

A

a constituency that is represented by more than one elected official

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is a single party government?

A

Government that contains a single party, usually with a majority in parliament.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

In a STV how many votes to voters get?

A

The amount of candidates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

In an STV how do voters indicate their vote on their ballot paper?

A

Rank their preference by numbers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

In an STV what type of constituencies are used?

A

Mulit - member system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is Droop?

A

Quota

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What type of government is inevitable in an STV?

A

Coalition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What kind of system is STV?

A

Proportional

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How many votes to voters get in SV?

A

2

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What must a candidate in an SV achieve?

A

An absolute majority

17
Q

What happens in an SV if nobody gets a majority in the first round?

A

All the candidates except the top 2 are eliminated and the losing candidates votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates using their second preferences

18
Q

What is SV mainly used for?

A

Metro Mayors

19
Q

What was the conservatives vote share and seat share in 1979?

A

Vote share - 43.9%
Seat share - 53%

20
Q

What is the winners bonus?

A

When the winning party gains a bonus of seat share to achieve a majority

21
Q

In 1997 what was Labours majority?

A

179

22
Q

In 1997 what was Labours vote share to seat share?

A

Vote share - 45%
Seat share - 63%

23
Q

In 1997 what was Conservatives vote share and seat share?

A

Vote share - 31%
Seat share - 25%

24
Q

In 2005 what was Labours winning vote share and seat share? What does this say about our voting system?

A

They got 35% of the vote, it tells us that the majority of people voted against the government that got in, making it illegitimate. However, they got 55% of the seats.

25
Q

In the 2024 election what percentage of the vote did Labour and Conservatives get vs the seat share?

A

Won 57.5% of the vote but 82% of the seats.

26
Q

What was Labours vote share to seat share in the 2024 election?

A

33.7% vote share and have 63%.

27
Q

In the 2021 Scottish election what are the pros of the system?

A
  • The government had 50% of the vote
  • It avoids single party governments - more representative, encourages compromise
  • Broader range of voters being represented
  • No wasted votes
28
Q

In the 2021 Scottish election what are the cons of the system?

A
  • Coalition governments are typically weaker
  • Green finished 4th and 5th but managed to be in government
  • No manifesto for a coalition, harder to hold them accountable/ know what to expect
  • next election if labour gets in they could form a coalition with green again, not being held accountable
29
Q

In 2017 what was the vote share in Knowsley?

A

Labour - 47351
- Conservative - 5137

30
Q

What are the problems with safe seats (Knowsley)?

A
  • Many wasted votes
  • No political equality - why would Labour or conservatives campaign there?
31
Q

Positives of safe seats?

A
  • completely legitimate
32
Q

What are surplus votes?

A

safe seat votes

33
Q

What are unrepresented votes?

A

Votes for the parties that lost

34
Q

What are decisive votes?

A

Ones who contribute to an election

35
Q

What is a marginal seat?

A

a seat where more than one party could win

36
Q

Pros of marginal seats?

A
  • more competitive
  • encourages more people to vote
37
Q

Cons of marginal seats?

A
  • tactical voting is encouraged
  • You could argue that the winner isn’t very legitimate

politics (11 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions