Electoral Systems- The Supplementary Vote (majority system ) Flashcards
Supplementary vote (SV)
An electoral system used to elect the London mayor and one that attempts to ensure that the winning candidate receives as close to 50% of the vote as possible. Voters have two votes — a first and second preference.
The main features of the supplementary vote (SV) system are as follows:
+ Each voter gets two votes - a first and second preference.
+ There are two rounds of counting.
+ In the first round, the first-preference votes are counted. If no candidate gets 50% of the first-preference votes, then a second round of counting begins.
+ In this second round, all candidates apart from the leading two are
eliminated. The second-preference votes for the eliminated candidates are then transferred to the candidates still left in.
Memorise table 3.2
Page 44
The outcomes of the supplementary vote (SV) system include the following:
+ Fewer votes are wasted than under FPTP. For example, Green Party voters knew that their second-preference vote might count even if their first one didn’t.
+ The system promotes a two-horse race. In the 2021 mayoral election, the Green Party candidate, Siân Berry, was eliminated because she received only 7.8% of the vote.
+ Alliances with other parties are critical. Sadig Khan won many second-preference votes from Green votes after promising to adopt environmentally friendly policies.
+ The British National Party (BNP) won just over 13,000 votes in the 2016 mayoral election but non-moderate parties have little chance of winning under SV.
+ By having a second preference, voters are able to choose a candidate they ‘don’t mind’. This is why the BNP could never win, because very few people would say they ‘don’t mind’ the BNP.
+ In this respect, SV ensures that the least hated’ candidate wins.
The SV is broadly a… which type of system ?
a majoritarian rather than a proportional system.
Majoritarian system
In a majoritarian system, attempts are made to ensure that the winning candidate receives as close to an absolute majority as possible, usually by having a second round of voting (as in the French presidential elections) or a second round of counting (as with the supplementary vote).
Proportional system
In a proportional system, an attempt is made to ensure that the percentage of votes a party receives is reflected in the percentage of seats they are awarded.
Advantages of a SV system
The winning candidate can usually claim to have an overall majority of support.
It is relatively simple for voters to understand.
Voters’ first and second choices are relevant.
Drawbacks of a SV system
SV still promotes a two-party system, as smaller parties have little chance of winning.
The winning candidate may win on second choices despite being behind on the number of first preferences they received.
It can still result in wasted votes if a voter does not choose either of the candidates who make it to the second round of counting.
