Electoral Systems

Question 1

Functions of election

Answer 1

Representation - influencing policy
Choosing a government & legitimacy
Participation
Accountability
Recruiting potential cabinet ministers and pms

Question 2

Elections in the UK

Answer 2

General
Devolved assemblies
Local councils
By elections

Question 3

Types of electoral system

Answer 3

Majoritarian: over 50% needed

Plurality: FPT; need majority

Proportional representation: multi member constituency; voters can elect multiple according to preference

Mixed system: AMS has FPTP and PR

Question 4

Constituencies

Answer 4

650 total
Increased slightly in 2010
Conservatives promised to reduce to 600 in 2016
Review started in 2021, ending in July 2023

Isle of Wight is abnormally populous
Average population 74,769

Question 5

What are the features of FPTP results

Answer 5

Two party system
Winners bonus
Major parties more benefitted
Single party strong government
Safe seats

Question 6

Evidence for FPTP

Answer 6

Super marginal: 2019 one seat had a margin of less than 100; 11 in 2017

Safe: try Home Counties, labour Liverpool Walton (86%)

Winners bonus: labour 1997, 2001 landslides

Bias to one party: favoured labour until 2010

Question 7

Reasons for bias to one party

Answer 7

Tactical voting

Difference in constituencies

Lower turnout in labour seats

Discrimination against smaller parties due to wasted vote

Single party government leads to leading party bias

Question 8

Hung parliaments

Answer 8

1974, 2010

Formed coalition with Cameron and clegg

Compromises manifesto promises

Tory held only 36% of the vote but were 19 seats short

Question 9

2015 election

Answer 9

SNP made disproportionate gain and UKIP loss

Return to single party government

Question 10

For FPTP

Answer 10

Simple
Clear result
Strong government
Blame falls on one party leads to accountability
Representation
Keeps extremists out of power

Question 11

Against FPTP

Answer 11

Disproportionate results: second in voter share but majority seats happened twice since 1945
Electoral deserts - Tory does not rep labour strongholds
Wasted vote
Limited choice
Divisive party politics

Question 12

Curtice’s argument against FPTP

Answer 12

Increasingly looking to minority parties anyway
Regional party rise
Rise in the number of safe seats

Question 13

For/Against Supplementary Vote

Answer 13

• winning candidate needs wide support
• can still support smaller party in first vote
• people who use both votes for minority parties do not count

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• may not have majority but be elected
• not proportional if used for general elections as two parties would dominate

Question 14

For/Against Single Transferable Vote

Answer 14

• proportional outcome
• government likely to be popular
• voters can choose between many members of the same party

————————

• not as accurate from votes to seats than list system
• complex process
• produces coalition, good for NI election
• Representation through MP weaker

Question 15

For/Against AMS

Answer 15

• get benefit of FPTP and PR
• less wasted votes
• parties use lists to increase representation
• easy to understand and count
• split ticket voting an option

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• regional members don’t have constituency
• smaller parties less represented
• PR less likely in places like wales due to small share of Additional members