Electoral systems- majoritarian

Question 1

How does the FPTP work?

Answer 1

-UK is split into consituencys in order to get vote for 650 MPs
-Only alound to work once and you put an x nedt to candiate in your consituency to represent you
-The person that wins a majority in the consitutency gets a seat in parliment
-Finally the party with the most seats wins, no matter the vote

Question 2

Advantages of first past the post?

Answer 2

-A simple system- only vote for one candidate and place an x next to name
-Rarely leads to a coalition gov
-Rough justice (unpopular gov looses)
-Great constituency link
-Low chance of extremist party as all party’s in parliament
-Turnouts rising

Question 3

Disadvantages of first past the post?

Answer 3

-High number of wasted and surplus votes
-Very unproportional
-Safe seats (labour in north cons in south)
-Tactical voting
-Minority mandate
-Turnouts fallen massively since 1997
-Winners bonus (Tony blair in 1997)
-Electoral deserts- party’s win lots of seats in areas but don’t win seats in parliament (Ukip 1 seat)

Question 4

Points to say theirs an efficient election system?

Answer 4

Easy to understand
Produces a a quick result
Produces a devise result
Allows a diverse group of MP
proportional votes
Fair to all parties
Encourages high turnout

Question 5

Does first past the post meet criteria of being a good electoral system?

Answer 5

Diverse
Easy to understand
Encourages high turnout

Question 6

Why doesn’t FPTP meet the criteria of being a good electoral system?

Answer 6

Unproportional
Unfair
Turnout

Question 7

Winners bonus case study’s of fptp? 1997

Answer 7

Labour got huge amount of the seats getting a 63% majority in the commons but 43% of voting gaining a huge winners bonus
Conservative 25% of seats but 31% of votes

Question 8

Case study if unproportionallity 1983?

Answer 8

Majority turnout low
Conservatives earned lots of seats due to large amount of votes
Labour 28% of vote and 209
Lib dem 25% but 23 seats

Question 9

Has fptp performed well in recent ge?
2010?

Answer 9

Turnout low 65%
No party got majority had to form coalition with Lib dem as lib dem leader Nick Clegg was made hugely popular after a televised debate
Huge economic crisis

Question 10

Reasons why we shouldn’t continue with fptp?

Answer 10

-2/4 last he haven’t prouduced a clear winner
- 2010 coalition and took a week to agree
-2017 minority gov
-Wasted votes

Question 11

Reasons we should keep Fptp?

Answer 11

-Tradiyion
-Strong govt

-Minority madnate indreas d
-2011 AV vote wished to keep FPTP
-2015 Most socially diverse parliment
-Simple
-Squeze out extremists- BNP won 2 seats in EU parliment under list but not in FPTP
-Turnouts increasing

Question 12

What are the other 2 majoritarian systems?

Answer 12

Supplementary vote
Alternative vote

Question 13

How does supplementary vote work?

Answer 13

1) Choose the 1st and 2nd and mark and x
2) When first choice is counted and if theirs an overall majority the vote ends
3) if no one wins however all but the top 2 candidates are eliminated
4) All voters that voted for the eliminated candidates ballots are checked and ultimately replaced, they voted for their 2nd candidate
5) All ballot papers who’s 2nd preference is the 2 remaining candidates are added to get a clear winner

Question 14

What vote uses SV?

Answer 14

-Police and crime commission
-London mayoral elections

Question 15

Overview of alternative vote?

Answer 15

Voters vote for as many candidates as they want
If no one wins then 50% then bottom place candidates eliminated and votes distributed till theirs a majority

Question 16

Steps for the alternative vote?

Answer 16

1) Rank order of contestants by number of preference
2) Candidate with a majority wins
3) If no candidate wins, ultimately last place is eliminated
4) All the voters who voted from eliminated candidates 2nd preference will be user and redistributed
5) If this doesn’t result in a majority proceeds repeated and will repeat until the candidate maintains 50%

Question 17

What is the alternative vote used for?

Answer 17

2020 defence commite chair
Labour and Lib dem election in house of commons

Question 18

What is the jenkins commission?

Answer 18

Someone who Blair hired to find out about what voting system would be better for the UK

Question 19

Jenkins commission criteria?

Answer 19

Creates a strong govt (FPTP meets this)
Proportional
Voters have more choice
Constituency link (FPTP meets this)

Question 20

What voting system did Jenkins decide was the best?

Answer 20

Alternative vote

Question 21

What is the Alternative vote referendum?

Answer 21

In May 2011 David Cameron held a referendum on weather we should keep FPTP

Question 22

What was the wording of the AV referendum?

Answer 22

At present, the UK uses the “first past the post” system to elect MPs to the House of Commons. Should the “alternative vote” system be used instead?

Question 23

What was the vote for AV?

Answer 23

Keep- 68%
Change- 32%

Question 24

What did david cameron say about this result?

Answer 24

Decisive yes vote meet that everyone was in favour of FPTP and ultimately we don’t need electoral reform

Question 25

What was the turnout?

Answer 25

42%

Question 26

Why do people say the AV vote was unfair?

Answer 26

Because the turnout was less then 50% of the population

Question 27

Positives of majoritarian system?

Answer 27

-Good constituency links
-Strong one party govt
-Stronger mandate due to people getting majority of the vote
-Voters get more choice so no need to tactically vote

Question 28

Negatives of majoritarian systems?

Answer 28

-Very unproportional
-Can’t guarantee a majority as people can only put one preference
-2nd preference vote can still be tactical