Elections Flashcards
Ballot definition
A method of secret voting
By-election definition
A local or national election held to fill a suddenly vacant seat due to death, resignation, scandal etc
Candidate
A person who stands for election to parliament
Constituency definition
An area whose voters elect a representative to a legislative body
Constituent definition
A citizen residing in a particular MP’s area or district
Electorate definition
All the people in a country or area who are eligible to vote
Absolute majority definition
A party must win over 50% of the votes in a election to win, not just more votes than other parties
First past the post explanation
An electoral system where the wining candidate only needs the most seats, not an overall majority
A simple plurality system
General election definition
A national election held to elect a head of state
Mandate definition
The authority to govern given to a wining party at election times
Marginal seat definition
A seat where it is unclear which party will win
Additional member system definition
A type of proportional representation where each citizen votes separately for a local and national MP
Alternative vote definitionon
An electoral system that combines first past the post with regional list system. A proportion of the seats are awarded by first past the post and the rest by a regional list system. Every voter has two votes, one for a constituency MP and one for a party
Coalition definition
A temporary union of two or more parties that allows them to form a government if no party gained an overall majority and therefore a mandate
Election definition
A time when citizens select a person to ruin a country by voting
Manifesto definition
A statement produced buy a political party at election times, stating what policies it intends to implement if it gains power
Electoral reform definition
A process where there is a change in the electoral system used in a country or campaign for such change
Legitimacy definition
The degree to which a state or its government can be considered to have the right to exercise power
Limited government definition
The powers of the government are limited by the law
List system definition
A system where there are no individual candidates, instead they have a choice of political parties. Each party produces a list of candidates an a voter chooses a list to vote for. Seats are awarded in proportion to the votes cast for each party
Majoritarian system definition
An electoral system that gives the right to appoint the representatives to the majority of electors, denying representation to all minorities
Majority system definition
To win an election a candidate must receive the majority of the votes cast
Majority government definition
A government formed by a governing party that has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament
Minority government definition
A government in which the governing party has the most seats but still less than half the total
Simple plurality definition
A system where the winning party only needs to gain more votes than any other party, not over 50%
Proportional representation definition
A system where parties gain seats in proportion to the overall amount of votes cast for them
Representation definition
The state of being represented by an MP in parliament
Representative definition
An MP who represents a specific area or constituency
Single transferable vote definition
An electoral system that returns more than one MP per constituency. In order to be elected a party must reach a quota of votes, which is (no of votes cast/no of seats) + 1. People can vote for as many candidates as they want, in order of preference. The candidate who wins reaches the quota first are elected and their spare votes are redistributed until other parties reach the quota. This is repeated for all candidates who reach the quota until no more can reach the quota
Tactical voting definition
A voter knows there first choice has no chance of wining so they vote to help their second or third choice win or to stop a party or candidate they dislike from wining
Turnout definition
The percentage of eligible people who vote in an election
Two party system definition
The same two parties are constantly elected in a country
Tyranny of the majority definition
The views of the minority who lose at an election or referendum’s views are not taken into account at all
Voter apathy definition
Voters lose interest or stop caring about voting. This can cause low turnout and a democratic deficit
Vote definition
A formal choice between two or more candidates typically expressed through a ballot
Strong government definition
The executive branch of government is dominant and government is able to dominate legislature and so is able to implement most of its policies without excessive obstruction
Stable government definition
Governments tend to survive their full term and are unlikely to be removed from power between elections
Where is the single transferable vote system used
Northern Ireland
What is the general number of MPs in a constituency in Northern Ireland
6
What is an example of an extremist party
British nationalist party
What is an example of a time the first past the post system did not produce a strong and stable government
The 2010 coalition
What are the strengths of first past the post
Stops extremist parties gaining power
Historically produces a strong and stable government that can pass legislation without substantial issues
Easy to understand
What are the weaknesses of first past the post
Minority rule - government being elected on a minority of votes
Too many votes are wasted on small parties
Government claiming a mandate on a minority of votes - calls into question the democratic legitimacy of government
Creates a two party system
What is an example of a minority government in the UK
2005 labour victory - only gained 35.2% of votes
What is an example of a government claiming a mandate on a minority of votes
2010 coalition
What are the reasons why first past the post should still be used in the House of Commons
Popular support - reform rejected
Stops extremist parties gaining power
Has historically produced a strong and stable government
What are the disadvantages of the continued use of the first past the post system
Can cause tyranny of the majority
Wasted votes
Discriminates against smaller parties
Places too much power in the hands of a single party
How do elections in the UK enhance democracy
Normally deliver a mandate to the incoming government
Anybody can form a political party as long as they are a British citizen over 18 and run for an election - Birmingham Indian restaurant formed a political party in 1997
Usually free of corruption
What is an example of an election delivering a clear mandate
1997 labour government gained 418 seats
How do elections in the UK not enhance democracy
Some MPs are elected without an overall majority of votes from their constituency
First past the post system causes votes for smaller parties to be often wasted
Larger parties have larger funds - e.g. in 2013 conservatives received £3m in funds but greens only received £190000 in funds
What is an example of a party where votes are often wasted
The Greens - 7% of votes and 1 seat
What is an example of a constituency where the MP does not have an overall majority of votes
Frome - liberal democrats only had 47.5% of votes in 2010
How is the UK a two party system
Since the Second World War there have only ever been two parties in power - labour and conservative, until the 2010 coalition
First past the post has only allowed larger parties to gain power - 2010 conservatives gained 26% of votes but 47% of seats
Conservative and labour parties have a larger budget than smaller parties, e.g. Green Party, UKIP
Where is the additional members system used
Scotland
What are the arguments for electoral reform
A change from first past the post would be more representative of the views of the electorate as another system would be more representative
What are the arguments against electoral reform
First past the post has popular support - AV referendum rejected in 2011
A different electoral system may allow extremist parties like the British national party to gain power
First past the post has successfully delivered a decisive single party government with a working majority in the House of Commons for over
60 years - until the 2010 coalition
What are the features of the 2010 election
Did not deliver a single party government so the electorate could not be sure which party would govern them
A coalition government, whose membership and policies were determined behind closed doors in the days following the election was formed
Delivered a false outcome in some ways - the Conservative party clearly dominated the coalition and its policies but it did not win the election - some even said it lost the election
Lead to a hung parliament
In what circumstances are elections held in the UK
When an issue affects the whole nation
When a party is split and it is difficult for them to solve the problem and make a decision
When the government wants to make constitutional changes
What is an example of a referendum when the issue affected the whole nation
2014 Scottish independence referendum
What is an example of a referendum being held because a party was split
1975 European community referendum
What is an example of a referendum being held because a party wants to make constitutional changes
2011 AV referendum
Regional list system explanation
An electoral system
Voters choose parties not candidates, meaning every vote is of equal value
The result is highly proportional - multiple parties gained seats
Supplementary vote explanation
An electoral system
Every voter has two votes - a first and second choice
The wining candidate must gain over 50% of votes
If no candidate gains 50% then the you two parties remain and the other candidates votes are redistributed
Successful way of electing an individual with a clear mandate
Arguments for the UK adopting a system of proportional representation
Fairer - every vote counts and is equal
Could lead to increased turnout - people won’t feel their vote is wasted
Restore confidence in a political system damaged by a lack of voter confidence - don’t see a point in voting for parties like the Green Party or UKIP
Would lead to coalitions - force parties to work together
Would bring the UK into line with the rest of Europe
Arguments against the UK adopting a system of proportional representation
Change rejected in 2011
Change is hard to accept
Extremist parties like BNP could gain power
Tends to lead to weak governments
Some systems mean there is no local MP candidate - hard to protest local issues and constituencies don’t work in the same way
Coalitions formed - can lead to indecisive governments
What are the differences between referendums and elections
A referendum is a yes or no question, in an election people vote for a party/candidate
Referendums held at any time, election held every 5 years, within 5 years before fixed term parliament was introduced in 2011
What are the disadvantages of a coalition government
Cause disagreements - hard to pass legislature
No popular mandate
Power is not proportional
Weak/indecisive governments - hard to make decisions
Where is the supplementary vote electoral system used
London mayor elections
Where is the regional list system used
European Parliament elections
What is an example of how first past the post is biased against the liberal democrats
In 2010 the liberal democrats gained 57 seats with first past the post but with single transferable vote they would have gained 162 seats
How many votes and seats did the main parties gain in the 2010 election
Conservative - 10.7m votes - 307 seats Labour - 8.6m votes - 258 seats Liberal democrats - 6.8m votes 57 seats Green Party - 285000 votes - 1 seat Scottish national party - 490000 votes - 6 seats UKIP - 900000 votes - 0 seats
How many votes and seats did the main parties gain in the 2015 election
Conservative - 11.3m votes - 331 seats Labour - 9.3m votes - 232 seats Liberal democrats - 2.4m votes - 8 seats Green Party - 1.1m votes - 1 seat Scottish national party - 1.4m votes - 56 seats UKIP - 4m votes - 1 seat
What are the advantages of AV
No wasted votes
What are the disadvantages of AV
Disproportionate
What are the advantages of STV
Proportional No wasted votes Fair Forces parties to work together Wide range of views represented
What see the disadvantages of STV
Extremist parties can gain power
Complicated
Difficult to pass legislation
