Electoral System Flashcards
What is the franchise?
The right to vote
Who was the franchise restricted to at first?
Property owning classes
What act expanded franchise to all adult men who owned property worth more than £10?
1832 Great Reform Act
What act have vote to women for first time, but had to be over 30. Men over 21 also given vote?
1918 Representations of the People Act
What act extended franchise to men and women over 21?
1928 Represenations of the People Act
What act lowered voting age to 18
1969 Representation of the people Act
What is a general election?
When 650 MPs resign to contest their seats
What is a by-election?
Election in a single constituency caused by the death or resignation of an MP
What did the coalition government introduce in 2010?
Fixed-term Parliaments of five years
What can trigger an early election? (2)
A vote of no confidence
Or vote of 2/3 of HOC can trigger election (this happened in 2017)
Who can vote in national elections, what are the 3 conditions?
British, Irish, Commonwealth citizens normally resident in UK
Must be 18 plus
Must be on electoral register
Who can’t vote in elections? (6)
1) peers sitting in HOL
2) Foreignors (including EU citizens)
3) Patients detained under mental health act for crimes
4) Convicted prisoners
5) People convicted of corrupt or illegal election practices
6) Queen and hiers don’t vote, no law stoping them
Who can stand in elections?
1) have to be 18
2) British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen resident in UK
Who can’t stand in elections?
1) Peers
2) undischarged bankrupts
3) Patients convicted of crimes under MH act
4) Prisoners serving more than one year in jail (so prisoners can’t vote but can stand)
5) People convicted of corrupt election practices (10 he ban in same constituency, five years if another one)
6) senior civil servants
7) Police officers
8) members of armed forces
9) judges
What method of voting is the election decided on?
First past the post
What is first past the post?
Simple easy system
Candidate with most votes elected
Party with majority of votes form gov
650 seats, if party gets more than half then they can form gov alone
What is a hung Parliament?
If no party gets 326 like in 2010
What the three things that can happen in hung parliament?
1) try to govern as minority administration - in vote by vote basis which is unstable and can be defeated at any moment if other parties gang up on them
2) Enter into confidence and supply agreement with other parties whereby smaller parties support gov on big votes (like budget)
3) formal coalition with other parties to reach 326 (like in 2010)
Why is the FPTP unfair?
Does not distribute seats on basis of proportional votes cast
Votes cast for any candidates but winner are effectively wasted
Name 3 alternative voting systems
1) Supplementary vote - If no candidate gets majority then all but top two eliminated and votes redistributed according to second choices (used in London mayor elections)
2) Alternative Vote - (operates in single member constituencies) candidate has more than 50% of votes he/she is elected. If not candidate with least number eliminated and that candidates votes redistributed according to second choices
3) Additional Member System - Hybrid system where some candidates are elected in single member constituencies according to FPTP and second votes are used to top up from regional lists
What are candidates required to pay?
£500 as a deposit, but lose their deposit if fewer than 5% of votes cast
How much can candidates spend?
£7150, plus 5p per vote (7p rural) on campaigning
How is pending overseen?
By Electoral Commission
When do polls close
10pm
Who can observe counting?
Candidates, party workers and press to ensure no electoral fraud
Who oversees the whole voting process
The Returning officer (usually local council officer)
Can candidates demand a recount if votes are close?
Yes
What happens if the result ties
Lots are drawn
How many voters voted in General Election 1950 compared to 2015
- 9% in 1950
66. 1% in 2015
What has a lack of voting led to?
Ideas to boost voting like
Making voting compulsory with fines for those that don’t vote
Electronic voting
Voting over more than one day
Placing polling stations in supermarkets and shopping centres
How long are councillors elected for?
4 years terms
Local authorities are divided into wards, how many councillors can represent each ward?
Up to 3 can rep each ward
What can local authority’s choose for councillor voting?
Have all councillors face election every 4 years
Have half of them facing election every 2 years
Have 1/3 of them facing election every year with a fallow year when there is no elections
Who can stand in Local Authority Elections?
UK, Irish, Commonwealth and EU citizens in UK
Must be on electoral register or resident for 12 months
Have his/her main place of work in the area for 12 months
Own property for 12 months
Who can vote in Local Authority elections?
Must be on electoral register
Must be 18
UK, Irish, EU and CW citizens
Who can’t vote in Local Authority Elections?
Patient convicted of crimes under MHA
Anyone convicted of corrupt election practices
When is voting?
Thursdays 8am to 9pm
How much can candidates for Local Authority elections spend?
£600 (2000 for directly elected mayors)
