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UK Politics > Electoral Systems (NOT EXAM) > Flashcards

Electoral Systems (NOT EXAM) Flashcards

1
Q

Reasons for holding an election

A
  • accountability
  • Choosing an elected representative government
  • Legitimising Political Power (manifesto is voted upon which gives gov a mandate)
  • Limiting power of unelected representatives
  • Development of political policy.
  • means of representation and participation, pillars of
    democracy.
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2
Q

Describe the majoritarian system and which vote uses it

A

need a 50%+1 majority to win. (SV)

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3
Q

Describe the Plurality system + eg

A

Having more votes than anyone but not needing a majority (FPTP)

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4
Q

Describe the Proportional system + eg

A

allocates seats in a manner that reflects the percentage of voters gained by the party. Could produce a multiparty government (STV+AMS)

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5
Q

Where is FPTP used?

A

Westminster Parliament and the local english and welsh governments, plurality system.

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6
Q

What type of system is FPTP and what does this mean?

A

It is a plurality system which means each person can only vote for one candidate.

The candidate who gets the most votes (plurality) wins.

Also known as winner takes it all as it doesn’t need to be 50% for a victory. Could be very close and the one with the most votes still gets the whole seat.

Favours parties with a reasonable concentration across a wide geographical area.

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7
Q

What is the ‘winners bonus’? WITH AN EG from 2015

A

if a seat is one with just a small majority, they still receive the whole seat which means they are over-rewarded.

For example, in 2015 the conservatives won 37% of national vote but 51% of seats.

However close the vote is, winner gets all and loser gets nothing.

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8
Q

How does FPTP work?

A
  • UK is divided into 650 Constituencies
  • One vote per person
  • They win if they have the highest number of votes in the constituency.
  • Parties looking to win 326/650 seats.
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9
Q

What is a safe seat? and example

A

Constituency regarded as being secure in an election.

Eg in 2017 Labour retained Liverpool Walton with 85.7% of the vote.

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10
Q

What is a marginal/ swing seat? and example

A

Constituency is one with a small majority and could easily change hands in an election. They are often targeted more in campaigning.

Eg 2017 SNP won East Fife by only 2 votes.

-In the 2019 General Election, 26 seats were won with majorities of less than 2%.

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11
Q

Advantages of FPTP (5) + 1 eg

A
  • Creates Stable, strong governments who can make cohesive decisions. (unlikely to form coalition.) Strong Single party governments in 2001, 2005 (Labour)
  • MPs can have a close relationship with constituents.
  • Stops small extremist parties getting into power.e.g. UKIP, got 3.9 million votes in 2015 but only 1 seat
  • Simple and easy to operate - less spoiled ballots.
  • FPTP already won in a referendum.
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12
Q

Disadvantages of FPTP (8)

Inc Green party and 2015 conservatives winning example

A

creates a 2-party system. Eg. Green Party 860,000 votes to win a seat but only 38,000 for Conservatives.

Gov non-proportional. Conservatives won 330 seats with only 37% of vote in 2015.

safe seats.

Lots of tactical voting takes place.

Most MPs do not get 50% of the vote in their seat and therefore are not representing their constituency.

  • Has produced both a coalition government in 2010 and a Confidence and Supply in 2017.
  • lack of voter choice.
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13
Q

Where is Supplementary voting used and what type of system is it?

A

Used in mayoral elections, police and crime commissioners etc.

It is a majoritarian system.

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14
Q

How does SV work?

A
  • Voters have two votes 1st and 2nd.
  • If candidate wins 50% of 1st place they are automatically win.
  • If not, everyone but top two candidates from that round are eliminated and the 2nd place on their votes is counted and added to 2 remaining candidates.
  • Results are calculated and one with the most first and second wins.
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15
Q

bj

A

-bj

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16
Q

2016 Mayoral election results

A

Sadiq Khan First round (44.2%), Second round (wins 56.8%)
Zac Goldsmith First round (35%), Second round (loses 43.2%)
Green party eliminated in first round and their second place votes counted.
Sadiq Khan wins.

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17
Q

Advantages of SV (6)

A
  • Encourages moderate campaigning as getting second votes is important
  • Relatively simple system
  • Most likely and most easily replace FPTP
  • All MPs would have the support of a majority of their voters (Khan - largest political mandate in UK History)
  • Reduces tactical voting as you can still vote for first choice candidate without wasting your vote.
  • Ensures single member constituencies and therefore good MP-constituent links.
18
Q

Disadvantages of SV (4)

A
  • Someone who won the first round could end up not winning.
  • Promotes candidates from main three parties, Still won’t value small parties.
  • Voters may need to vote tactically. If there are 3 strong candidates’ voters may need to guess who will make the cut
  • Anyones whos second pref was not front runners vote isnt counted at all
19
Q

Where is Additional member system used and what kind of system?

A

Used in devolved regions of Scotland and Wales and for London Assembly.

Proportional system. a hybrid system which combines FPTP and list system.

20
Q

Explain the hybrid of proportional and list system?

A

Proportional aspect means that parties are allocated seats in proportion to the votes they gain.

List system means voters can list candidates in order of their importance.
In closed list elects have no say over the order of the candidates on the list.

21
Q

Explain how AMS works?

A
  • Voters have 2 separate votes. The first is used to choose a member for their local constituency (FPTP) and the second is the other is used to select a political party using the party list. These are known as ‘top up’ members.
  • This gives you 2 types of representative, one local and one Regional. The party list element is used to top up the constituency vote, making the overall result more proportionate.
22
Q

Scottish parliament elections turnout 2019

A

Turnout in Scotland was the highest of any UK country .(68.1%)

However, this may be to try and avoid brexit (independence - SNP)

23
Q

Advantages of AMS (7)

and 2 EGs

A
  • Best bits of FPTP (rep link to area, high accountability.)

It is proportional which reduces wasted votes.
- Wider voter choice.

  • Creates governments with more broad popularity.
  • Greater representation which increases turnout.
  • Encourages more descriptive representation. Parties can put women/ethnic minorities higher up the list.

  • EG. In 1997 Labour made an all-female list
24
Q

Disadvantages of AMS (6)

A
  • Creates coalition governments a lot.
  • More complicated and voters sometimes think their vote is mathematically manipulated
  • Constituency round still uses FPTP so has disadvantages
  • Creates two tier representatives, this can cause tension and blur accountability
  • Party have majority of control as they create the list - not fully elected.
  • Smaller parties are still under-represented
25
Q

Where is Single Transferrable Vote Used and what type of system?

A

Used in Northern Ireland Assembly and Local Scottish council elections.
Highly proportional system.

26
Q

How does STV work?

A

Uses multi-member constituencies and voters must rank their choices 1,2,3.
In order to be elected a candidate must get more votes than the quota which is derived with the droop quota.
(Number of votes cast)/(Number of seats+1)

	Surplus votes (those above the quota) are redistributed to 2nd choices.
	If no one reaches the quota – least popular is eliminated and 2nd preferences are distributed.
	Process is continued until the seats are filled.
27
Q

Advantages of STV? (5) with NI turnout eg.

A
  • Proportional outcome

Fewer votes are wasted

  • Greater voter choice no need for tactical voting.
  • No safe seats under STV, meaning candidates cannot be complacent and parties must campaign everywhere, not just in marginal seats.
  • Turnout in Northern Ireland is 70%
28
Q

Disadvantages of STV? (4)

A
  • Coalition Government.

Mp Constituent link lost - Lines of accountability can be blurred.

  • Lead to ‘donkey voting’ where voters vote for candidates in the order of how they appear in the ballot.

Can get quite long and confusing. More spoiled ballots.

29
Q

Majoritarian systems overview

A

Gives stronger individual mandates. Eg SV place much more emphasis on winning the majority of the vote.

30
Q

Electoral reform attempts

A

2011 Alternative Vote referendum.

Yes 32.10%
No 67.90%
turnout 42.2%

31
Q

Turnout in FPTP compared to others and in comparison to proportional voting system

A

None of the alternative voting systems produce a turnout close to the 69% who participated in the 2017 GE. However, this is most likely because other forms of voting are used in less important elections with lower turnout anyway.

Denamark (80% average) Germany (85%) - proportional voting system

32
Q

Arguments for replacing FPTP (7)

A
  • no longer seems to produce strong single gov
  • lack of proportionality
  • Can produce elective dictatorships
  • Lack of legitimacy or mandate but huge amount of power.
  • does not equal ‘one person one vote’,
  • many votes are wasted, encourages tactical voting and lower turnout which undermines democratic principles.
  • Lack of voter choice, only accountability voters can exercise is to choose the other major party which may be opposite and doesn’t leave them with much choice.
33
Q

Arguments for keeping FPTP? (6)

A
  • It is widely understood by the public, how the ballot is used and how the winner is chosen. An educated, understanding public is more likely to turn out and vote.
  • The governments it has produced have been largely strong and stable.
  • It is possible for smaller parties to do well, the SNP in 2019 won 81% Scottish seats.
  • Also keeps radical parties out of government, 2015 UKIP won 4m votes but only 1 seat + despite Brexit party having a lot of support in election they won NO SEAts and only 2% of the vote.
  • provides clear link between MP and constituents.
34
Q

Possible Essay plan/ structure - should we replace FPTP?

A

Para 1 - Representation
no because it keeps extremist parties out.
Yes - it only allows 2 parties to stand with a chance and bars out 3rd parties. AMS should replace as it allows for greater representation.

Para 2 - Impact on Gov
no because it produces strong single party governments.
Yes - however, it hasn’t actually. Coalition + supply and demand. But coalitions aren’t even bad, they lead to compromised and stops polarised politics. Strong govs lead to elective dictatorship.

Para 3 - Voter choice
no - allows you to choose an MP and have a bond, accountability.
Yes - However, leads to safe seats, tactical voting, wasted votes and no party choice. In another system you can promote descriptive representation. + would increase turnout if you didn’t think vote was meaningless.

Conc- replace with AMS.

35
Q

Arguments for Elections promoting democracy - (6)

A
  • educate the public as parties try to campaign and explain current issues and their ideas to fix them.
  • encourage participation.
  • Offer electorate choice, China only offers one party whereas we have a pluralist system.
  • Government and MPs are held individually and collectively responsible for the actions. Accountability.
  • Expression of the popular will.
  • Improve representation.
36
Q

Arguments for Elections not promoting democracy - (4)

A
  • Elections can fail to educate the wider electorate, misinforms them with bias propaganda.
  • form of indirect democracy and takes the decision making away from the people, MPS can go against their mandate once in. (Lib dems, tuition fees 2010)
  • So few differences between parties in Britain the choice is illusionary.
  • Not sure what part of the mandate people vote in.
37
Q

Arguments for wider use of Referenda (5)

A
  • Enable the electorate to decide on big constitutional issues
  • they can settle long standing disputes.
  • they can create more engaged and educated electorate.
  • they can strengthen democracy
  • promote participation and give everyone equal voice (IndyRef1 had 84% turnout)
38
Q

Arguments against wider use of referenda (8)

A
  • they undermine the authority of parliament
  • they impose a decision on a reluctant parliament, they have expertise and may disagree. Eg Brexit.
  • They aren’t hugely decisive as people want to do it again until they win. IndyRef2 brexitref2.
  • They can be very divisive in society.
  • Campaigns can be misleading and information is oversimplified.
  • put political decision making in the hands of people with no specialised knowledge.
  • they turn complex issues in to yes/no answers and they don’t pre-empt how complicated it will be - brexit, hard soft etc.
  • regular referendums might lead to voter fatigue.
39
Q

Issues caused by the Brexit referendum

A
  • undermined the authority of parliament, Supreme court case afterwards.
  • risks the breakup of the UK Scotland wants to stay.
  • split the country down he middle 52/48.
  • created huge issues over Irish border.
  • Caused David Cameron to resign.
40
Q

What are the three types of voting system?

A

Plurality
Majority
Proportional representation

41
Q

Election stats

A

2015 - UKIP won 3.6m votes and 12.6% of the vote but only one seat.

2015 - SNP won less than 2M votes but got 56 seats while Lib dems won 2M+ and got only 8.

2017 - 22m votes wasted/ 20% planned to vote tactically.

2019 - 33% women and 10% ethnic minorities - compared to 14% of the UK.

1997 Blair’s majority - 179, 1983. Thatcher’s 144. (reflecting the 15% lead they held over Labour in the polls)

42
Q

Difference between SNP votes and UKIP votes in terms of seats in 2015.

A

In the 2015 general election, the SNP’s 1.4 million votes were highly concentrated in Scotland and translated into 56 seats whilst UKIP’s 3.8 million votes translated into 1 seat.

UK Politics (10 decks)

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