Electoral systems

Question 1

What is first past the post?

Answer 1

A plurality voting system (meaning you don’t need a majority). MPs are elected in single- member constituencies, there are 650 of these.The candidate with the most votes wins that constituency. There are ‘safe seats’ which are dominated by a single party and marginal seats that are tightly contested.

Question 2

advantages of first past the post:

Answer 2

• generally a clear outcome and counting is simple
  -has public support (referendum to change it in 2011)
  -stable, single party govt
  -clear link between representatives and constituents
  -extreme parties less likely

Question 3

disadvantages of first past the post:

Answer 3

• you don’t need a majority to win a seat ( eg Belfast south 2015 winner won with 24.5% of the vote)
• favours big parties
  -creates a two party system
  -winner bonus ( relatively small gap between 2 parties can result in a landslide in parliament, eg 1983)
  -favours parties with concentrated voters, the conservatives benefit from this system ( eg. conservatives secured 43.6% of the vote and 56% of seats in 2019, SNP also benefit)

Question 4

What is additional member system?

Answer 4

A hydrid voting system (mix of FPTP and proportional rep). Voters cast a vote for a candidate and a party with some seats elected by FPTP and others by a regional list system. Seats are allocated on a corrective basis using the d’Hondt formula so if a party does better of worse on the FPTP or regional list side the formula will even out the results until all seats are allocated.

Question 5

disadvantages of AMS:

Answer 5

-small parties tend to struggle and achieve less representation then they would under a fully proportional system, especially true in Wales where the small number of top-up seats has advantages Labour
-in wales the regions are too small making the outcome less proportional
-two categories of representatives, only one of which has constituency duties
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Question 6

advantages of AMS:

Answer 6

-balance of the best from FPTP and proportional representatives
-more voter choice (voters can split their
vote and more parties can win seats)
-the FPTP element maintains a strong link between the member and the constituency

Question 7

Where is first past the post used?

Answer 7

in UK general elections

Question 8

Where is AMS used?

Answer 8

Used in Scottish and welsh parliaments and London assembly

Question 9

An example of a time when marginal seats shifted?

Answer 9

There were notable shifts in the North of England in 2019 as the ‘red wall’ fell (conservatives started winning seats that were previously labour)