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Politics > Electoral Systems > Flashcards

Electoral Systems Flashcards

1
Q

Explain the key functions of elections

A
  • Hold current government + MPs to account
  • Choose a new government or elected representative
  • Limit the power of government by ensuring accountability
  • Encourage political participation of the electorate
  • Give a political party a mandate for their manifesto
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2
Q

What electoral systems are used across the UK

A

UK National
* Every 5 years
* FPTP - 650 MPs
Scotland
* Every 5 years
* Additional Member System
* 129 MSPs
Wales
* Every 5 years
* Additional Member System
* 60 MSs
Northen Ireland
* Every 5 years
* Single Transferable Vote
* 90 MLAs
London Mayor
* Every 4 years
* FPTP
London Assembly - AMS

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3
Q

Electoral Changes 2022

A
  • Fixed-Term Parliaments Act repealed in 2022 gave the PM back the power on when to call elections
  • Elections Act 2022 - changed the electoral system for the London Mayor from SV to FPTP
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4
Q

Explain the advantages of First-Past-the-Post

A
  1. Simple systems encourages higher turnout + thus gives the incoming government more legitmacy
  2. Creates a strong government with a majority + a mandate allowing it to enact its manifesto
  3. Single-member constituency means local areas have representatives dealing with local issues + can be held accountable
  4. FPTP creates a two-party system more extremist parties are kept out of government
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5
Q

Explain the disadvantages of First-Past-the-Post

A
  1. Simplicity of the system results in wasted votes because candidates don’t need a majority - need plurality of the vote
  2. FPTP creates a two-party system many people vote for the candidate standing for their preferred partythan the one who will best represent their constituency
  3. Encourages tactical voting with voters casting their ballot for the ‘least bad’ of the main parties not their preferred party
  4. Creates safe seats where an individual’s vote is reduced - goes against idea of equal votes for all
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6
Q

Explain the advantages of proportional systems (AMS + STV)

A
  1. Create fewer wasted votes + safe seats which encourages turnout because voters can express their preference
  2. Voters have a wider choice between parties all of whom could play a role in government policies
  3. A more proportionate result improves the legitmacy of the government
  4. It creates a weaker government which must cooperate with other parties to form a broadly popular government
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7
Q

Explain the disadvantages of proportional systems (AMS + STV)

A
  1. STV, AMS + SV are all more complicated systems which can led to voter apathy
  2. Creates governments with smaller or no majorities which can undermine their mandate
  3. Representatives often have larger constituencies which reduces direct representation of constituents
  4. Smaller parties with more extremist policies have more influence over government
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8
Q

Explain the advantages of majoritian electoral systems (SV)

A
  1. Simple systems encourage higher turnout
  2. Leads to a clear result + a strong government which increases the government’s legitmacy
  3. Maintains a strong link between representative and constituency which improves representation
  4. Encourages major parties to have centrist policies - broader appeal
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9
Q

Explain the disadvantages of majoritian electoral systems (SV)

A
  1. Creates more wasted ballots which undermines representative democracy
  2. The likely domiance of a two-party system decreases voter choice leading to tacitcal voting or spoilt ballots
  3. Disproportionate results including winner’s bonus which can lead to an ‘elective dictatorship’
  4. Creates a government which only has the support of a single majority which can create the ‘tyranny of the majority’
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10
Q

2010 General Election Results by party - vote share and seat number

A

2010 (turnout 65%)
* Conservative - 36.1% vote share - 306 seats (47%)
* Labour - 29% vote share - 258 seats (40%)
* UKIP - 3.1% vote - 0 seats
* DUP - 0.6% vote share - 8 seats (1%)
* Lib Dems - 23% - 62 seats (10%)

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11
Q

2024 General Election Results by party - vote share and seat number

A

2024 (turnout 60% - 6% (2019)
* Labour - 34% v 32.1(2019) - 412 seats (63%)
* Conservative - 24% v 43.6% (2019) - 121 seats (19%)
* Lib Dems - 12% v 11.6%(2019) - 72 seats (11%)
* Reform - 14% - 5 seats (1%)
* Greens - 7% - 4 seats (1%)

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12
Q

Scotland 2021 Election Results by party - vote share and seat number (constituency + regional)

A

Scotland 2021(turnout 64%)

SNP
* Constituency vote share + seats: 48% vote share - 62 seats
* Regional vote share + seats: 40% vote share - 2 votes

Conservative
* Constituency vote share + seats: 22% vote share - 5 seats
* Regional vote share + seats - 23% - 26 seats

Labour
* Constituency vote share + seats: 22% vote share - 2 seats
* Regional vote share + seats - 18% vote share - 20 seats

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13
Q

Wales 2021 Election Results by party - vote share and seat number (constituency + regional)

A

Wales 2021 (turnout 47%)

Conservative
* Constituency - 26% vote share - 8 seats
* Regional - 25% vote share - 8 seats

Labour
* Constituency - 40% vote share - 27 seats
* Regional - 36% vote share - 3 seats

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14
Q

Northen Ireland 2021 Election Results by party - vote share and seat number (constituency + regional)

A

Northen Ireland (turnout 64%)

  • DUP - 21% vote share - 25 seats (28%)
  • Sinn Fein - 29% vote - 27 seats (30%)
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15
Q

London Mayoral/London Assembly 2024 Election Results

A

London Mayoral (turnout 40%)
* Labour - Sadiq Khan - 43.8% vote share
* Conservative - Susan Hall - 32.7% vote share

London Assembly
* Labour - 11 seats
* Conservative - 8 seats

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16
Q

All UK Referendums - the topic, the turnout, and the majority vote share

A

1975 - UK stay or leave the European Community?
* Yes - 67%
* Turnout - 63%

1997 - Should there be a Scottish Parliament?
* Yes - 74%
* Turnout - 60%

1997 - Should Scotland have tax-varying powers?
* Yes - 64%
* Turnout - 60%

1998 - Good Friday Agreement
* Yes - 71%
* Turnout - 81%

2011 - Switch from FPTP to AV
* No - 68%
* Turnout - 42%

2014 - Scottish Independance
* No - 55%
* Turnout - 85%

2016 - Brexit
* Yes - 51%
* Turnout - 72%

17
Q

Explain the consequences of both the Brexit and Scottish independance referendum in the Supreme Court - due to devolution

A
  • 2022 - Supreme Court ruled that Scotland was not allowed to call a second Brexit refernedum by itself
  • 2022 Scotland called for a second independance refernedum - UK government rejected it - Supreme Court ruled Scotland couldn’t hold the referendum
18
Q

Explain the advantages of using referendums

A
  • Referendums improve the legitmacy of constitutional decisions - pluralist democracy means that the whole population can decide on an issue rather than a few elected officals
  • Referendums hold the government’s accountable - it limits the government power because its politically binding so they do not become too powerful
  • Referendums can increase participation in democracy - the 2014 Scottish independance (85%) + the Brexit (72%)
  • Referendums can help to improve political education - people explained the pros and cons
19
Q

Explain the disadvantages of using referendums

A
  • Referendums oversimplify very complex issues - led to misinformation + people don’t understand the complexity of the issues
  • Refernedums undermine representative democracy - politicians are less accountable for carrying out the result e.g Cameron resigned post-Brexit
  • Referendums are called by the government with no rules on when they should be called or on what specific issues - stil in control
  • Referendums encourage ‘tyranny of the majority’ - decisions can be carried out which disadvantage the majority of the population - the UK economy lost £140 billion due to Brexit
  • Referendums encourage misinformation which depends on the competing resources of the campaigns - Vote Leave argued that the NHS would receive an extra £350 million which was false
  • Overuse of referendums leads to voter apathy - AV referendum turnout - 42%

Politics (11 decks)

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