Electoral Systems in the UK Flashcards
Covers First Past the Post, Single Transferable Vote, and Additional Member System
1
Q
Name a positive of First Past The Post
A
- Simple and easy to understand
- Having one local MP makes them clearly accountable to their electorate
- Stable and decisive government
- Extremist parties find it impossible to gain any real power.
2
Q
Name a negative of First Past The Post
A
- Wasted Votes
- The party that wins never gets a 50% majority
- Safe seats
- Tactical voting
3
Q
What does FPTP stand for?
A
First Past The Post
4
Q
What does STV stand for?
A
Single Transferable Vote
5
Q
What does AMS stand for?
A
Additional Member System
6
Q
Where is FPTP used in elections?
A
General Elections in the UK
7
Q
Where is STV used in elections?
A
Northern Ireland
8
Q
Where is AMS used in elections?
A
Scotland
9
Q
Benefit of STV
A
- Extreme parties unlikely to reach the quota
- Your first, second and third choice could all get into power: Almost full representation!
- Multiple candidates to choose from
- Voters more likely to participate knowing votes wont be wasted
- Number of seats closely reflects the number of votes cast
- No safe seats as only those who reach the quota are guaranteed a seat
- Winners can declare that enough of the community feel as if they have the right to be there, as they may not have won all but the 1st preference votes, but they must have the most 2nd, 4rd of 4th choice votes to win overall.
10
Q
Weakness of STV
A
- The party with the most seats will lead with nowhere near an absolute majority
- Can be considered too complicated
- Votes cast are not exactly proportional to seats gained
- Easy for voters to make a mistake on the ballot paper
- Rarely results in clear workable majority which means coalitions need to be formed in order to vote through legislation
11
Q
Strengths of AMS
A
- Voters have 73 clearly accountable reps at local level
- Voters have 2 types of MSPs to represent their interests locally and regionally
- Parties can artificially raise representation of women/minorities by putting on regional list (zipping)
- Voters are free to choose a local MSP who they prefer on a personal level, regardless on which party they are in
- Voters reassured they can vote for minor parties as they know the formula used at regional level will balance out any disproportionate votes
- More proportional than pure FPTP
- Without the Dhont formula and regional list in 2021 Cons would have 1/5 of the popular vote but 1/15 of the seats
- 2021: Greens would have received no seats but 1.3% of the vote
12
Q
Weaknesses of AMS
A
- Parties put forward their list of candidates at regional level so the electorate may not like the person they put forward
- As the local level uses FPTP these reps are elected with a simple majority and rarely represent >50%
- Voters have no say on who the party they vote for puts on the party list for regional level
- Tactical voting may occur at local level as they know minor party candidates won’t be successful under FPTP
- System is not truly proportional
- Local level still has FPTP flaws
- Dhont formula is not perfect
- When used in Wales there are not enough regional seats so it is less proportional than Scotland
- Effectively creates 2 different classes of MSP, some of whom have been directly elected and others who were selected by the party and have less of a mandate
- To have a working majority of seats more than all opposition you need 64/129 seats.
13
Q
What formula is used to calculate AMS
A
D’hont formula (Top up system, used for regional elections)
14
Q
How many MSPs are elected using AMS?
A
129 MSPs in total:
- 73 local
- 56 regional
15
Q
What are the core features of STV?
A
- Multiple seat constituencies = 4/5 winner
- Preference system. 1, 3, 7, 2, 5
- The 1st count must reach quote
- Redistributes waste instead of wasting them.
- Used by NI Assembly, Local elections in Scotland and Ireland.
