electoral systems Flashcards
define constituency
the geographical area that elects a representative
define First-Past-the-Post
an electoral system where the person with the most number of votes is elected
define proportional representation
the percentage of vote obtained reflects proportionally the number of seats you receive
define safe seat
a seat in which the incumbent has a considerable majority over the closest rival and which is largely immune from swings in voting choice
define marginal seat
a seat that is held by an incumbent with a small majority
define winner’s bonus
when the winner benefits from the electoral system
define by-election
an election that takes place in an individual constituency when a vacancy arises between General Elections
PAPER - list 5 functions of electoral systems:
- choose representatives
- political participation
- accountability
- education
- provides a mandate
how many constituencies are in the UK?
650
list some key advantages of FPTP
- a simple system and voters can understand exactly what they are voting for
- helps ensure representative are closely bound to the needs and concerns of their constituency
- produces an outright winner and clear mandate
- traditional
list some key disadvantages of FPTP
- winners often win with only a small % of the electorate voting for them
- often more people vote against MPs than for them
- disadvantageous to parties whose support is widely dispersed
- favors large parties
- ‘winner’s bonus’
- in some recent GE the system has failed to produce a decisive government majority
what does STV stand for?
single transferable vote
what type of electoral system is STV
proportional
when and where is STV used?
It is used in Northern Ireland and Scottish Local Governments
how does STV work?
allows voters to rank their voting preferences in numerical order rather than simply having one voting choice. In order to obtain a seat, a candidate must obtain a quota. After the votes are cast, those with the fewest votes are eliminated and their votes transferred.
list some pros of STV
- it produces a proportional outcome
- it gives voters a wide choice of candidate
- voters can vote for candidates from different parties and still show a preference between candidates of the same party
- there are 6 representatives per constituency, each voter has a choice of those to represent the, and usually can be represented by someone from the party they support
- helps small parties and independent candidates
list some cons of STV
- very complicated and many voters do not understand it
- counting the ask can take a long time
- can help parties with extremist views get into power
- the lines of accountability are not clear
- weaker constituency link
what does SV stand for?
supplementary vote
how does SV work?
the electorate gets two votes. One for their first preference and one for their second preference. If no candidate receives 50% +1 if all first preference votes, then all candidates are eliminated and have their second preference votes counted. Whoever has a majority with the new tally is elected
list some pros of SV
- winning candidates requires an overall majority
- simple to understand
- votes have an opportunity to express support for multiple parties
list some cons of SV
- the winning candidate may be chosen as a second-choice candidate
- entrench the two-party system
- third parties will be excluded even more than they are under FPTP
when and where is AMS used?
used in Scotland and Wales and for the Greater London Assembly
How does AMS work?
- a proportion of the seats are elected using FPTP as for the UK GE
- the remaining proportion of seats are elected on a proportional system based on several regions of the country and this is known as the regional closed party list of the system
- there is an important variation in the regional list part of the vote. The variable top up system adjusts the proportion of the votes cast on the list system based on the over or under representation parties have experienced in FPTP seats
what are the pros of AMS
- produces a broadly proportional outcome and so is fair to all parties
- gives voters two votes and so more choice
- it combines preserving constituency representation with a proportional outcome
- it helps small parties that cannot win constituency contests
list some cons of AMS
- produces two classes of representative
- it is more complex than FPTP and having two votes can confuse some voters
- result in the election of extremist candidates
what is a referendum?
a popular vote on a particular issue, usually requiring a yes/no answer
result of the AV referendum in 2011
68% no on a 42.2% turnout
result of Scottish Independence referendum 2014
553.% no on a 84.6% turnout
out of 11, how many local referendums received no vote
9
what was the result of the NI GFA 1998?
71% yes vote on 81% turnout
What was the result of the Scottish Parliament Referendum in 1997?
74% voted yes and 63.5% voted yes on 63.5% turnout
what % of MPs supported remain in the Brexit referendum?
76%
