Electoral System Evidence Flashcards
FPTP is speedy at transferring power example
In 1997, Tony Blair arrived at Downing Street as the new Prime Minister at 1pm on the day after the election.
FPTP produces fast results example
In 2019, the first constituency result (Newcastle Central) was announced at 23:36 on the day of the election.
Referendum in 2011, result and turnout
2011 AV referendum
68% voted against change in electoral system
42% turnout
STV is slow at transferring power example
After the 2007 Scottish Parliament Election, it took two weeks for the SNP minority government to be sworn in, after failed coalition talks with the Lib Dems.
Mandate examples (2)
1980’s - Thatcher was able to bring about widespread changes to the economy.
1997 - Blair’s government has the mandate to carry out extensive constitutional reforms.
key issue voting example
2019 - election was focused around Brexit and forced many voters to prioritise Brexit over their other political views, with many formed Labour voters voting Conservative for the first time.
BNP in 2010
2010 - the extreme right wing British National Party won 2% of the national vote, but didn’t finish higher than 3rd in any constituency.
European Parliament Elections
2009 - European Parliament elections, which used a closed party list system, by contrast, they won 6.2% of votes and 2 seats.
Conservatives rebel against Liz truss
October 2022, 33 conservative MPs rebelled against Liz Truss’ government and abstained in a vote on banning fracking, despite the government ordering them to oppose it.
Alasdair McDonnell
2015 GE - Alasdair McDonnell of the SDLP won with just 24.5% of the vote in Belfast South and only polled 14.7% of the electorate if the 60% turnout is taken into account.
2019 conservatives % of seats vs votes
In 2019, the Conservative Party won 56% of seats with just 43.6% of the votes.
Seats vs votes % Labour 2005
In 2005, the Labour Party won 54.6% of the seats with just 43.6% of the vote.
2019 Lib Dem’s - % of vote vs seats
In 2019, the Lib Dem’s won 11.5% of the vote but just 1.7% of the seats.
2015 UKIP - % of votes vs seats
In 2015, UKIP won 12.6% of votes but 0.2% of seats
What % of voters voted tactically in the 2019 GE
YouGov data commissioned by the Electoral Reform Society indicated that 32% of voters voted tactically in the 2019 election.
Safe seat for conservatives
South Staffordshire has elected a Conservative MP in every election in its creation in 1983.
Gavin Williamson won 73% of the vote in 2019.
Marginal seat
Thanet South, Kent
It has been won by the party which has won the GE since its creation
Coalition govt since 2000
2010
2017
Scottish parliament - seats for single-member constituencies vs list members
In the Scottish parliament, 73 of the 129 members are elected in single-member constituencies, with the remaining 56 being filled by list members.
1999 Scottish Parliament election - conservative seats vs % of votes
In the 1999 Scottish Parliament election the Conservative Party won 0 constituency MPs despite getting 15.6% of the vote, but won 18 additional member seats in order to correct this, leading them to receive 14% of seas overall.
‘Split-ticket’ voting example
In the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, the Greens won just 1.29% of constituency votes, but 8.12% of the top-up votes and got 8 seats.
AMS isn’t great for representation example
Senedd
In the 2021 Senedd election, the Green Party won 1.6% of the constituency votes and 4.4% of the top up votes but no seats.
AMS is more likely yo lead to minority and coalition government: Scotland example
In the six Scottish governments since devolution, 3 have been coalition governments, whilst 2 have been minority governments.
Scottish Local Elections (STV)
2022 % of councils with no overall control vs 2003
After the 2022 elections 94% of councils had no overall control. In 2003, when Scottish Local elections still used FPTP, only 38% of councils had no overall control.
Northern Ireland dominating parties
DUP and Sinn Fein now dominate, replacing the more moderate parties since 2007.
Donkey voting in Northern Ireland example (STV)
In the 2019 local elections in Northern Ireland, in District Electoral Areas where there were two candidates running from the same party, the candidate whose surname was first alphabetically was elected 85% of the time, whilst the second candidate n the ballot paper was elected only 54% of the time.
Largest mandate of any elected politician
Sadiq Khan has the largest personal mandate of any elected politician in British history
SV - London Mayor
AMS is more complicated than FPTP
Ballots incorrectly completed
In 2007 in Scotland, 146,000 ballots were incorrectly completed
Proportionality of the systems: deviation from the mean
FPTP deviates over 20% from the mean
11% for AMS in Scotland
15% for AMS in Wales
7% for STV in Northern Ireland
2019 election turnout
67.3%
2021 Scottish Parliament election turnout
63.5%
2022 Northern Irish Assembly election turnout
63.6%
