electoral systems

Question 1

Elections to the House of Commons

Answer 1

MPs are elected on a first past the post (FPTP) basis in 650* constituencies – Representation of the People Act 1983 (RoPA), Sch 2, para 18; Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986

Question 2

Election Candidates

Answer 2

• An election candidate must be:
  
  • At least 18 years old - Electoral Administration Act 2006, s 17(1)
  • British/ Irish/ Commonwealth citizen - Act of Settlement 1700; Electoral Administration ACt 2006, s. 18
  • Not subject to any disqualification (Imprisonment for >1yr; insanity; bankruptcy; peers; judges; civil servants; police; members of the armed forces; specified public office holders; members of foreign legislatures - House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975)
• Must be validly nominated and pay £500 deposit (returned

Question 3

The Right to Vote

Answer 3

• You are entitled to vote in a parliamentary election if you are (RoPA 1983, s.1)
  
  • At least 18 years old on the day of the election
  • A British/ Irish/ Commonwealth citizen
  • Not subject ot any legal incapacity (members of the House of Lords; convicted prisoners; persons convicted of electoral offences; mental incapacity)
  • Registered in the electoral register for the constituency in question
    
    • subject to a residency test (RoPA, ss 4-5, 7B, 14-17; RoPA 1985)
• Voting may be in person, by proxy or by post.

Question 4

The First Past The Post system

Answer 4

• Each voter votes for one candidate
• The candidate with most votes in each constituency is elected
• Votes for candidates in second, third etc are discarded

Question 5

Advantages of FPTP

Answer 5

• Simple to understand
• (Usually) produces a clear outcomes - single party majorities
• Promotes strong and stable government (?)
• Promotes accountable government (?)
• Strong constituency link
• used in full or in part in 50 countries worldwide, including Malaysia, Nigeria, US, Canada, Poland (upper house)…

Question 6

Disadvantages of FPTP

Answer 6

• Results on ‘wasted’ votes
  
  • promotes tactical voting
  • elections determined by small number of swing voters in marginal constituencies
  • Declining voter turnout?
• Highly disproportionate
  
  • Exaggerates support for major parties
  • Discriminates against smaller parties/ independents
  • Exacerbates ‘elective dictatorship’
• Unsuitable for multi-party political system?

Question 7

General Election Day

Answer 7

• all 650 seats in the House of Commons are contested
• Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011 [repealed]
• Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022
• Elections ate held (up to) every 5 years (Parliament Act 1949)
• Last election: Thursday 12 Dec 2019, next one: Jan 2025 (at latest)
• Polls open 07:00 - 22:00 and each voter puts a ‘x’ next to their preferred candidate
• Results in each constituency declared during the night by a returning officer.

Question 8

Electoral reform

Answer 8

• Various forms of proportional representation used for elections to devolved legislatures, European Parliaments, and local government in London, Scotland and Northern Ireland
• Jenkins Commission (1998) - recommended adoption of the Alternative Vote Top-up system (AV+) for UK Parliament Elections
• AV Referendum (during Conservative - Lib Dem coalition) 2011
• “At present, the UK uses the ‘first past the post’ system to elect MPs to the House of Commons. Should the ‘alternative vote’ system be used instead?”
• 32% yes, 68% no (42.2% turnout)

Question 9

Conclusions

Answer 9

• There is no single UK election ‘system’
• ‘Proportional representation’ is not a single system, but rather a catch-all term for systems other than First Past the Post
• Many parts of the UK have experience of voting systems other than First Past the Post
• Any change needs to be carefully considered – what might the impact be on the (Westminster) Parliament? The separation of powers and the relationship between the Legislature and the Executive?
• Is there such a think as an ideal election system?