Proportional Systems- Single Transferable Vote Flashcards
What is the Single Transferable Vote (STV)?
A proportional representation voting system that allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference.
True or False: In STV, voters can only vote for one candidate.
False
Fill in the blank: STV is commonly used in ______ elections.
multi-member
What is the primary goal of using STV?
To achieve proportional representation in elections.
Which of the following is a feature of STV? A) Single-member districts B) Voters rank candidates C) Simple majority wins
B) Voters rank candidates
In STV, what happens if a voter’s preferred candidate is eliminated?
Their vote is transferred to their next preferred candidate.
What is a quota in the context of STV?
The minimum number of votes a candidate needs to be elected.
True or False: STV is used in the UK for elections to the House of Commons.
False
Which of the following countries uses STV for its elections? A) United States B) Ireland C) Canada
B) Ireland
What is a ‘surplus vote’ in STV?
Votes that a candidate receives beyond the quota and are transferred to other candidates.
Fill in the blank: In STV, the counting process continues until all ______ are filled.
seats
What does the term ‘preferences’ refer to in STV?
The order in which voters rank candidates.
True or False: STV can lead to tactical voting.
True
What is the main benefit of STV compared to first-past-the-post systems?
It provides a more proportional outcome reflecting voters’ preferences.
What is the significance of the ‘transfer value’ in STV?
It determines how much of a vote is transferred from an elected candidate to others.
Which type of elections is STV most commonly associated with?
Local government and multi-member constituency elections.
Fill in the blank: The process of eliminating candidates with the fewest votes in STV is called ______.
elimination
What is an advantage of STV regarding minority representation?
It allows for better representation of minority groups.
True or False: STV is straightforward and easy for voters to understand.
False
What is one criticism of the STV system?
It can be complex and time-consuming to count votes.
