Electoral Systems Flashcards
What does AMS stand for in electoral systems?
AMS stands for Additional Member System.
What is a key feature of the Additional Member System (AMS)?
AMS combines both proportional representation and first-past-the-post systems.
True or False: The Additional Member System is purely a proportional representation system.
False.
What is one advantage of the Additional Member System?
It allows for a more proportional representation of voters’ preferences.
What is a disadvantage of the Additional Member System?
It can create confusion among voters due to the different voting methods used.
Fill in the blank: The Additional Member System is used in countries such as ______.
Germany and Scotland.
What is a major criticism of First-Past-The-Post electoral systems?
It can lead to a significant discrepancy between the percentage of votes received and the number of seats won.
True or False: A pure proportional representation system ensures that every vote counts equally.
True.
What electoral system often leads to coalition governments?
Proportional representation systems.
What is one advantage of First-Past-The-Post systems?
They generally lead to stable governments due to fewer coalition formations.
What is a disadvantage of proportional representation systems?
They can result in fragmented parliaments and unstable governments.
What does the term ‘majoritarian system’ refer to?
An electoral system that awards seats to the candidate or party that receives the majority of votes.
True or False: The Single Transferable Vote (STV) is a form of proportional representation.
True.
What is the primary goal of the Single Transferable Vote system?
To ensure that votes are transferred to other candidates if the voter’s first choice does not need all their votes. Therefore everyone is happy and has a vote counted.
Fill in the blank: In a ______ electoral system, the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of whether they achieve a majority.
First-Past-The-Post.
