Elections and Majoritarian Systems Flashcards
What is an election? Why do we have them? - Electoral Systems
An election is the process by which people vote for an individual to represent them in a political office. This allows the population to influence the decision making and governance in an area.
What are majoritarian systems? What do they result in? What examples are there? - Electoral Systems
Majoritarian systems are electoral systems such as FPTP and SV which produce a strong government with decisive control over a legislative body to enact their agenda.
How do elections help to bring about representation and choice for a population? - Electoral Systems
Elections provide representation as individuals are elected to represent constituents at a decision making level.
Elections provide choice as voters are provided with a variety of representatives and parties to choose to cast their vote in favour of at election.
How do elections bring about legitimacy and a government for a population? - Electoral Systems
Elections provide legitimacy by giving a party a majority at election, hence providing it with democratic legitimacy from the people.
Elections provide governments by the largest party at an election being able to produce an executive to carry out their manifesto.
How do elections bring about education and accountability for a population? - Electoral Systems
Elections bring about education by giving an opportunity for individuals to research policies and promises by parties in order to understand debate.
Elections bring about accountability by making politicians face election every 5 years, therefore holding them accountable for actions and decisions.
What is a 2 party system? How is it caused by FPTP? Is it an advantage or a disadvantage? - Electoral Systems
A 2 party system is where 2 main parties dominate the political system. FPTP creates this by rewarding parties with concentrated support rather than dispersed support. This is a disadvantage, as it limits the plurality of our democracy, often meaning votes for smaller parties become wasted.
What is a Winner’s Bonus? How is it caused by FPTP? Is this an advantage or a disadvantage? - Electoral Systems
A winner’s bonus is whereby the largest party at an election receives a far greater share of seats than their vote suggests as they have secured a greater number of pluralities in concentrated seats. This is a disadvantage as it is caused by the excessive influence of marginal seats, as well as causing the decline of smaller parties.
What is a single party government? How is it caused by FPTP? Is this an advantage or disadvantage? - Electoral Systems
A single party government is whereby the largest party at election achieves a Commons majority with which to create a dominant Executive. This is caused by the concentrated support of larger parties winning lots of individual seats, an advantage of FPTP as it creates strong governments able to carry out their legislative agenda.
How do smaller parties lose out from FPTP? Is this an advantage or disadvantage? - Electoral Systems
Smaller parties lose out from FPTP as they have a dispersed vote across a whole country which cannot win pluralities in individual constituencies. This means they have little legislative significance, a major disadvantage of FPTP, as many votes are wasted by this system and many voters feel unrepresented.
What are notable advantages of FPTP? - Electoral Systems
FPTP is simple for the electorate to understand, has virtually always produced majoritarian governments at election, creates a close bond between constituents and representatives, it prevents extremist parties from breaking into government and also there is little appetite for electoral reform.
What are notable disadvantages of FPTP? - Electoral Systems
FPTP prevents new parties from breaking into politics, creates disparities between the number of votes parties need to win constituencies, benefits parties with concentrated support due to its winner’s bonus, produces disparities between safe and marginal seats, produces governments without 50% of the popular vote.
How does Supplementary Vote work? - Electoral Systems
Supplementary Vote ensures that a candidate must win an absolute majority of votes across 2 preferences to be the winner. If a candidate doesn’t win across 1st preferences, then all but the top 2 candidates are eliminated, and 2nd preferences for those 2 candidates are added to their 1st preferences to produce an absolute majority.
What type of party system does SV result in? - Electoral Systems
SV is likely to result in a 2 party system and promote a strong mandate for a single party leader.
Where is SV used? What was the result in the most recent election here? - Electoral Systems
SV is used in London, with the 2021 election going to voters’ second preferences. Sadiq Khan won in the 2nd round of counting 55.2% of the vote, compared to 44.8% for Shaun Bailey.
How does the London Mayoral election differ from countries using SV nationally? - Electoral Systems
The London Mayoral election only elects one post, the London Mayor, and in doing so treats the whole of London as one large constituency in electing this individual.
