Electoral systems

Question 1

What type of system is FPTP ?

Answer 1

Simple Plurality

Question 2

What are the problems surrounding FPTP ?

Answer 2

-Disproportionate result
-Prejudicial against third parties
-Safe seats = wastes votes
-Encourages tactical voting

Question 3

What was the Jenkins commission ?

Answer 3

-Introduced by the labour party in 1997 to investigate alternative voting systems

Question 4

What is a majoritarian electoral system ?

Answer 4

A system in which the winning candidate must secure an absolute majority of the vote - more than 50%

Question 5

What does AV stand for ?

Answer 5

Alternative vote

Question 6

Where is AV used ?

Answer 6

-labour and liberal party leader elections
-By-elections for hereditary peers

Question 7

What are the advantages of AV ?

Answer 7

-MPs win a majority
-Keeps the existing consistuency boundaries
-might reduce no. of safe seats
-reduces the need for tactical voting

Question 8

What are the disadvantages of AV ?

Answer 8

-Could produce an even less proportional result than FPTP
-Might lead to more coalitions as third parties win more seats

Question 9

What does SV stand for ?

Answer 9

Supplementary vote

Question 10

Where is SV used ?

Answer 10

-London Mayors elections
-Police and crime commisioner elections

Question 11

Are the votes re-distributed in SV ?

Answer 11

Yes

Question 12

Where is the closed party list used?

Question 13

Is the closed party list proportional ?

Answer 13

Yes very- closely matches the percentage of votes with the percentage of seats

Question 14

What is the d’Hondt formula ?

Answer 14

Party list votes / number of seats won + 1

Question 15

What are the advantages of the Closed Party List ?

Answer 15

-Highly proportional
-Every vote has equal value - no wasted votes
-very simple ballot paper

Question 16

What are the disadvantages of the closed parry list ?

Answer 16

-Clear link between constituency and MP is broken
-Very limited voter choice - no say over the Mp only the party
-Gives greater power to the party leader.
-Likely to result in a coalition

Question 17

What does STV stand for ?

Answer 17

Single Transferable vote

Question 18

Where is STV used ?

Answer 18

-Local elections in Scotland
-The Australian senate
-European and local elections in Northern Ireland

Question 19

What are hybrid electoral systems?

Answer 19

-Electoral systems that combine plurality and majoritarian voting systems e.g AMS

Question 20

What is AMS?

Answer 20

-Additional Members system
-FPTP + Closed party list

Question 21

How does AMS work?

Answer 21

Voters have 2 votes - 1) for a local candidate to represent their constituency and 2) one for a party to be allocated proportionally

Question 22

What are the pros of AMS ?

Answer 22

-Boradly proportional result
-partially retains constituent and mp link
-Gives a greater vote (less wastage)

Question 23

What are the cons of AMS?

Answer 23

-Parties may be over represented
-Creates two classes of Mp - responsiblities to either Electorate or party
-Gives party leaders greater influence