Electoral Systems Flashcards
Elections function in UK
Representation Choosing a govt participation influence over policy accountability legitimacy
Majoritarian system
winning candiate must secure absolute majority (50% +)
Single member constituencies
Outcome not proportional- large parties higher proportion
Produces single party govt
Plurality system
FPTP single member plurality system- one more vote than closest rival
Proportional representation and used for what
Larger constituency more proportional the results. 2 votes winner has a majority
Mayor of London
Multi- member constituencies
Proportional outcome- produce coalition
Mixed system
AMS- 2 votes
1 for constituency (elected by FPTP) and 1 for regional list elected by closed list PR
Characteristics of FPTP
2 party system Winner's bonus bias to major party single party govt discrimination against smaller parties
Safe seat
constituency in which party has large majority- often retained
marginal seats
small majority- won by different parties
Winner’s bonus
share of seats that 1st placed party wins in excess of its share of vote under FPTP
Characteristics of 2 party system
Favours major parties with nation wide support
2015- UKIP won 1 seat yet 12.6% of national vote
Bias of FPTP
favours one of 2 major parties Tactical voting Differences in constituency size differential turnout- turnout lower in Labour seats 62% in 2015- 69% Tories Discrimination against smaller parties
What does FPTP produce and 2019 election example
majority govt
Conservatives- 43.6 %
2015 general election
single party govt
majority of only 12- not as stable
Arguments for FPTP
Simplicity Clear outcome Strong and stable govt Responsible govt Effective representation Keeps out extremist parties
Arguments against FPTP
Disproportional outcomes Electoral Deserts- EG Tories 34% of vote in N England in 2017 but only 10% of seats plurality rather than maj support votes unequal limited choice
Advantages of supplementary vote
Winning candidate achieves broad support- legitimacy
Supporters of smaller parties can use 1st vote to show allegiance and 2nd to indicate which they prefer
People who use both to support minor parties don’t effect outcome
Disadvantages of supplementary vote
Winner may be elected without majority if 2nd votes not used effectively
system not proportional for general elections
winning candidate doesn’t need majority to win
advantages of Single Transferable Vote
proportional outcomes and equal votes
govt likely ro consist of party w 50% of vote
Greater choice
Disadvantages of single transferable vote
less accurate in translating votes into seats than PR
Large multi-member constituencies weaken link between MP and constituents
Produce coalition govt
Advantages of AMS
combines best features of FPTP and PR
results proportional + votes not wasted
Voters greater choice- split ticket voting
disadvantages of AMS
2 categories of representative- 1 constituency duties 1 without- tensions
smaller parties under represented- large over represented
