proportional voting systems Flashcards
how many MEPs are there, and how many regions is england divided into?
73 MEPs, 12 regions
who do you select when you’re voting, the party or the candidate?
the party
what is the name of the proportinal voting system used in the EU elections?
closed party list
what’s the d’Hondt formula?
party list votes divided by the number of seats already won + 1
what are the advantages of CPL?
- highly proportional result
- no wasted votes or safe seats
- very simple ballot paper
- party list of candidates could be structured to increase diversity of representatives
what are the disadvantages of CPL?
- no clear link between MPs and constituents
- very limited voter choice (only choose the party)
- gives greater power to the party leaders who determine the priority order
- likely to result in coalitions
whats the voting system used in scottish local government elections?
single transferrable vote
how does voting work with STV?
ballot allows voting exclusively for a single party, but in preferential order of the candidates from that party
instead if achieving a majority, what do candidates have to reach?
a quota (= a number of votes only achievable by the same number of candidates as there are available seats)
how proportional is the result of STV?
more proportional that FPTP, but less than closed party list
where has STV been successful?
-in the northern irish assembly
-the long history of tensions means its vital that seats accurately reflect votes cast
