Electoral Systems

Question 1

Where is STV used?

Answer 1

Northern Ireland Assembly elections.

Question 2

Where is AMS used?

Answer 2

Scottish and Welsh parliament elections

Question 3

Give three disadvantages of FPTP + examples

Answer 3

Disadvantages of FPTP:

❌ The Spoiler effect - Vote splitting
- (1983) SDP-Liberal alliance split the Labour vote, results in Thatchers victory

❌ Wasted votes - in 2015 50% of votes went to a losing candidate.

❌ Third paries are underrepresented - e.g. (2015) - UKIP 3.9 million votes = 1 seat

Question 4

Give three advantages of FPTP.

Answer 4

Advantages of FPTP:
✔ Strong, majority governments - e.g. 1983, 1997, 2019.

✔ Marginalises extremist parties - 3.9 million votes for UKIP in 2015 = 1 seat

✔ Strong constituent links

Question 5

Give an advantage and disadvantage of AMS.

Answer 5

✔ Combines best elements of FPTP (constituency ties) with PR (fairness of outcomes) e.g.

❌Not fully proportional e.g. 2021 Con got 22% of the vote but 7% of the seats (in constituencies).

Question 6

Give an advantage and disadvantage of STV.

Answer 6

✔ Highly proportional e.g. 2017 NI assembly:
DUP 28.1% vote share = 28% of the seats - crucial for power sharing to function.

❌ Coalitions are likely - subject to collapse - e.g. 2017 collapse of power sharing agreement.

Question 7

What are valence issues + long term factor

Answer 7

Valence: short term factors (economy healthcare)
Long term: age, gender, class
(US is mainly about, gender religion)