Electorial Systems

Question 0

Outline the functions of elections

Answer 0

Participation: representation: legitimacy: accountability: choosing a government

Question 1

Define the term representation

Answer 1

In a representative democracy elections allow the electorate (a large group) to elect representatives (a small group) act on their behalf.

Question 2

What are by-elections

Answer 2

Elections held between general elections.

Question 3

Discuss the significance of by-elections

Answer 3

They are often used by voters to give their verdict on how the government is doing. They can almost amount to a referendum on the performance of the government.

Question 4

Define coalition government

Answer 4

The government composed of members from more than one political party

Question 5

What is majority government

Answer 5

A government composed of members from one political party, resulting from that party winning more seats in the House of Commons at a general election than all the other parties added together.

Question 6

Explain the term minority government

Answer 6

A government formed by political party with out an overall majority of MPs in the House of Commons

Question 7

What is a coalition agreement

Answer 7

An agreement on policy and other issues negotiated after an election by the partners in a coalition to form the basis of a coalition government

Question 8

Which an editorial system is used for general elections to the Westminster Parliament?

Answer 8

First past the post (FPTP)

Question 9

Which electoral systems are used for other UK elections

Answer 9

Additional member system the Scottish parliament, Welsh assembly and Greater London assembly.
Supplementary vote used for directly elected mayors.
Additional transferable vote in Northern Ireland. Regional list systems for European Parliament.

Question 10

Outline the key features of the supplementary vote

Answer 10

In single-member constituencies, voters make first and second preferences: a candidate with more than 50% first preferences wins, or two candidates with the most first preference votes are allocated the second preference votes of eliminated candidates until one is elected.

Question 11

What time the system is the additional member system?

Answer 11

A hybrid system. Some candidates are elected by simple plurality in single-member constituencies and others through regional party lists to ensure a degree of proportionality

Question 12

Is the additional member system (AMS) a majoritarian or a proportional system?

Answer 12

Neither. Is a hybrid electoral system incorporating both majoritarian and proportional elements

Question 13

In Which UK elections is AMS used?

Answer 13

First past the post Top-up (FPTP – TU), a variant of AMS, is used in elections to the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly and the Greater London Assembly.

Question 14

Outline at least one advantage and one disadvantage of the FPTP-TU system

Answer 14

By offering a proportional, list based top-up, FPTP – TU can be fairer on those parties that do not have enough for a single FPTP constituency to win the contest. It does, however, created a two class system of representatives – some with constituencies and some without.

Question 15

Which electoral system is used for elections to the Welsh assembly and the Scottish parliament?

Answer 15

Additional member system (AMS).

FPTP top-up (a hybrid system)

Question 16

What impact did the electoral system have on Party representation in Scotland?

Answer 16

Labour – Lib Dem coalitions after the 1999 and 2003 elections.
A minority SNP government after 2007

Question 17

What impact did the electoral system have on party representation in Wales?

Answer 17

A mixture of minority coalition governments, including currently (2010) a labour – Plaid Cymru coalition.

Question 18

How have the new electoral systems introduced in some UK elections since 1997 affected the political system?

Answer 18

They have resulted in:
Coalitions and/or minority governments in the Scottish parliament and Welsh assembly.
Controversy over the use of the closed regional list system for European elections.
Renewed demands for proportional representation in Westminster elections.

Question 19

What are coalition governments?

Answer 19

Governments composed of members of more than one political party

Question 20

Does proportional representation produces weak governments?

Answer 20

Not necessarily. Although Italy’s coalition governments have not always been stable, Germany’s have normally been successful.
Coalition governments at Westminster have been rare, but history was made after the 2010 general election when a Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition government was formed.
Opponents of electoral reform have used coalition and minority governments in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh assembly to warn that coalition and minority governments at Westminster would result if FPTP were abandoned, but in 2010 coalition government resulted under FPTP.

Question 21

Is there a participation crisis in the UK?

Answer 21

Yes. Low turnout at general elections. Disengagement from politics linked to a lack of confidence in democratic institutions and a feeling there were no real differences between the parties.

Question 22

Does Political participation matter?

Answer 22

Yes. Low levels of participation undermine the legitimacy of political institutions and processes. Some evidence that the higher the levels of participation in a country the more effective its government is.

Question 23

How should falling levels of participation be tackled?

Answer 23

Improve low voter turnout by measures such as encouraging more postal Voting, use of E-democracy, compulsory voting and lowering the voting age.