Other Electoral Systems Flashcards
What are proportional systems?
Clear allocations of seats based on votes received, say 40% of votes, they get 40% of seats
What are majority systems?
Used to select single candidate like President or mayor, winner claims overall majority of votes
What is a hybrid
Mixture of proportional and makority
What is AMS (Additional Member System)
A hybrid combing 2 electoral systems, there are 2 votes, 1 for constituency using a simple plurality system, then second vote for a closed party list additional representative (Scotland and Wales)
Scotland: 129, 73 constituency
Wales: 60, 40 constituency
What are advantages of AMS
1) Balances need for constituency accountability and electoral fairness
2) proportional but still allows a strong single party government
3) voters have more choice, encouraging informed voting, can also vote for independent candidate and a party
4) reduces wasted votes
5) high level of proportionality
What are disadvantages of AMS
1) Less constituency representation than FPT, regional reps don’t have duties
2) confusing
3) regional reps more accountable to party than voters
4) overhang seats where party wins more seats by constituency than it is entitled to by proportion of vote
5) associated with low voter turnout
What is STV?
Where voters rank candidates numerically, in order to gain vote, candidate must reach a quota (total votes/sears avaible). After votes are cast, those with fewer votes than quota are eliminated and votes transferred to candidate below.
Candidates above quota also have votes transferred
How is STV used in Northern Ireland
18 constituencies with 5 members each, this allows both DUP and Sinn Fein members to represent their constituents at the same time
Advantages of STV:
- Broadly proportional outcomes
- Vert wide choice of candidates
- Can vote candidates from different parities/differneriate between candidates within parties
- Helps small parties be elected
What are disadvantages
- Very complex, voters may not understand
- Vote is complicated and can take time
- Can help extremist candidate be elected
- With 5 representatives, who is accountable?
What is SV
Supplementary vote is a majority system where voter makes 2 preferential choices.
If one candidate gets over 50% of first vote then complete.
If not, top 2 remain and second choices redistributed amongst the 2, giving winner.
Used in London Mayor Elections
Advantages of SV
- Easy to understand
- Main Ariana link between MP’s and constituents for accountability
- Leads to single party majority government
- Results are more proportional than FPTP, elected in majority not plurality
Disadvantages of SV
- Not guaranteed winner has over 50%, some supplementary votes will be for eliminated candidates
- Still benefits larger parties as substantial amount of votes needed to win 1st round
- Wasted votes if don’t predict the top 2 candidates
- Support for candidates in 1st round wasted if eliminated
