Electoral Systems Essay Flashcards
What are the factors for electoral systems?
- Representation in Parliament
- Representation in government
- Representation of women
- Tactical voting
What is your background knowledge for electoral systems.
- Electoral systems is the method used to elect in a political system
- The UK (HOC, MPs) use FPTP
- The Scottish Parliament use AMS
What is your knowledge for representation in parliament.
- FPTP is where the % of seats is not proportionate to the % of votes a party wins
- AMS has % of seats roughly equal to the % of votes a party wins
What are examples for representation in Parliament.
- In 2024 Reform UK won 14% of votes but <1% of seats.
What is your analysis for representation in parliament.
- Winner takes it all
- Benefits larger parties and smaller parties become ‘wasted votes’
- List MSPs elected on a proportional basis
- Smaller parties have a chance of winning seats making Parliament more diverse
What is your evaluation for representation in parliament.
FPTP is poor representation while AMS is the opposite and allows better representation of what voters want.
What is your knowledge for representation in government.
- FPTP creates a majority government usually despite gaining minority of votes
- AMS creates a hung Parliament as it is representative of votes
What is your analysis for representation in government.
- FPTP is unfair representation as many voters were against the governing parties manifesto
- S majority government gets things done quicker and with less opposition
- AMS has better representation and forced the parties to compromise
- The parties may struggle to work together
What is your evaluation for representation in government.
FPTP is gives unrepresentative power while AMS doesn’t but may take longer to achieve things.
What is your knowledge for representation of women.
- FPTP allows one candidate in each consistency meaning it is more likely a man is going to be chosen over a woman
- AMS sees attempts at improving female representation through the list election
What is your analysis for representation of women.
- FPTO limits voter choice
- Unfair representation as less women are elected
- AMS is fairer and so more bills are tailored for women
What is your evaluation for representation of women.
Other factors may explain why less women are elected better.
What is your knowledge for tactical voting.
- This is voting to prevent another party for winning.
- some constituencies are considered either ‘safe seats’, ‘two horse races’ and very rarely three or more parties
- AMS allows for a better chance of votes for smaller parties counting
What is your analysis for tactical voting.
- Wasted votes encourages this to happen
- This makes the election unrepresentative of voters true views
- Some voters and accused of gaming the AMS system
What is your evaluation for tactical voting.
Voters are still voting to achieve something which benefit them in some form.
