Electoral systems

Question 1

Define electoral systems

Answer 1

Electoral system is how votes are translated into seats.

Question 2

Types of Electoral system

Answer 2

proportional and non proportional.

Question 3

Non-proportional

Answer 3

They don’t have a close relationship with the number (percentage) of votes cast for a party and the percentage of seats gained in parliament,a assembly or council.

Question 4

Types of Non-proportional electoral systems

Answer 4

FPTP-which is a simple plurality system,whereby the candidate just needs one vote more than the other to win in a constituency.

SV- a majoritarian system whereby the winning candidate must have gained more than 50% of the votes cast.

AV-This is also a majoritarian system where by can choose to rank as many candidates as they want with eliminated candidates votes being passed onto the remaining candidates.

Question 5

proportional electoral system

Answer 5

there is a closer relationship between the percentage of votes cast and the percentage of seats won in parliament,assembly and council being elected.

Question 6

Types of proportional electoral systems

Answer 6

Party List System-parties usually present a list of candidates in order of priority, and voters vote for a party rather than a candidate. The Party gets the same proportion of seats as votes, with seats being allocated in the same order as the party list.

STV-used in multi-member constituencies, with voters ranking candidates in order.

• A quota is calculated depending on the seats available and the number of voters.
• When first-choice votes are calculated, any candidate who has beaten the quota gets elected.
• Their surplus votes are allocated on the basis of second preference votes. If no one beats the quota, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, with their votes being allocated on the basis of second preferences (or third or fourth depending on who is left in the contest). Eventually, all seats are filled.

Question 7

proportional electoral systems cont.

Answer 7

AMS-system that combines FPTP with Party list to produce a hybrid electoral system giving the advantages of the voter-representative link from FPTP with the proportionality of Party List..