Electoral System Purpose in UK

Question 1

What are the 3 purposes of an election?

Answer 1

1) political recruitment
2) accountability
3) legitimisation

Question 2

How do elections serve the purpose of political recruitment?

Answer 2

They give citizens an opportunity to elect those individuals who will act as their representatives until the next election

Question 3

How do elections serve the purpose of accountability?

Answer 3

they provide a means by which citizens can hold individual representatives of the government of the day accountable for their actions and conduct in office

Question 4

How do elections serve the purpose of legitimisation?

Answer 4

they play a role in legitimising the government by providing the winners with an electoral mandate

Question 5

What are the 3 broad types of electoral systems?

Answer 5

1) Majoritarian systems
2) Proportional systems
3) Hybrid systems

Question 6

What is a majoritarian system?

Answer 6

those that require the winner to secure a majority

Question 7

Which is a proportional system?

Answer 7

those that attempt to distribute seats in broad proportion to votes cast

Question 8

What is a hybrid system?

Answer 8

those systems tat combine a majoritarian and a proportional element such as through a FPTP top-up

Question 9

What type of electoral system does Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly take place under?

Answer 9

Hybrid additional member system (AMS) known as FPTP top up

Question 10

Since 1999 under which system are UK elections to the European Parliament decided ?

Answer 10

under the closed regional party list system

Question 11

What is STV?

Answer 11

Single transferable vote

Question 12

When is STV (Single transferable used)? (4)

Answer 12

• Northern Ireland
• elections to local government
• Northern Irish Assembly
• European Parliament