U1T3 The Additional Member System

Question 1

Where is AMS used?

Answer 1

Scottish parliament, welsh parliament and the Greater London Assembly.

Question 2

What type of system is AMS, and what does this mean?

Answer 2

A hybrid system of 2/3 FPTP and 1/3 using the more proportional: list system.

Question 3

advantages of AMS:

Answer 3

• specialises in being proportionally skewed from FPTP.
• each voter will always have an accountable single constituency representative.
• allows minority parties to gain traction.

Question 4

Disadvantages of AMS:

Answer 4

• regularly causes coalition governments.
• the two votes may confuse some voters.
• the regional SMPs are seen as more important than the constituency SMPs.

Question 5

What is a closed and open list system and how does this apply to AMS?

Answer 5

A closed list system has a pre determined order of candidates on their list. An open list however influences the candidates that get a seat using the electors preference.

Question 6

How does the variable top up system work?

Answer 6

Adjusts the under and over represented parties in the FPTP seats by adding votes to the under represented, and vice versa.

Question 7

What did the electoral reform society estimate about safe seats in the uk?

Answer 7

The Electoral Reform Society estimated that 316 out of the 650 are safe, deeming the majority of votes as wasted.