Unit 1 - Elections

Question 1

What are the roles of elections?

Answer 1

• Votes are converted into representation
• They grant democratic legitimacy
• They grant a mandate to government
• They give the electorate the opportunity to hold the government to account
• They enable the electorate to choose between alternate political programmes
• They allow citizens to participate actively in the political process
• They are a means by which the electorate can be informed and educated about political issues

Question 2

How do elections positively enhance democracy?

Answer 2

• They grant legitimacy
• They give a clear mandate to governments
• They are a means of calling representatives to account
• They offer democratic choices to the people
• They provide opportunities for political participation
• They educate the people on political issues

Question 3

How do elections affect democracy negatively?

Answer 3

• They limit choice because parties produce specific manifestos, people are interested in single issues
• Especially in the UK elections may not be fair or proportional
• Elections often exclude small parties
• The mandate they grant to government may give them excessive power
• Because of their expense, elections may favour those with financial resources

Question 4

Differentiate between elections and referendums:

Answer 4

• Elections deal with a wide range of issues, referendums are for single issues
• Elections elect representatives, referendums do not
• Elections are held at regular intervals, referendums may be held at any time
• Elections give a complex range of answers, referendum give a ‘yes’ or ‘no’
• Elections concern political parties, referendums usually cut across political differences

Question 5

Describe First Past the Post:

Answer 5

1. Plurality
2. Single member constituency
3. Each voter gets 1 vote
4. The winner is the one with the most votes
5. Used in UK GE’s

Question 6

Outline the effects of First Past the Post:

Answer 6

1. Very poor proportionality
2. Poor voter choice
3. Marginalises small parties
4. Good likelihood of a single party majority
   5, Very good MP-constituency link
5. Very good ease of use

Question 7

Describe AV:

Answer 7

1. Majortiarian
2. Single member constituencies
3. 1 vote, as many preferences as candidates
4. If no majority, next preference is counted until a majority is achieved
5. Subject of 2011 UK referendum

Question 8

Outline the effects of AV:

Answer 8

1. Poor proportionality
2. Reasonable voter preference
3. Reasonable effect on small parties
4. Good chance of a single party majority
5. Good MP constituency link
6. Poor ease of use

Question 9

Describe SV:

Answer 9

1. Majoritarian
2. Single member constituencies
3. 1 vote, 2 preferences
4. If a candidate secures a majority, if not all but the top two are eliminated and second preferences counted
5. Used in London Mayoral election

Question 10

Outline the effects of SV:

Answer 10

1. Poor proportionality
2. Reasonable voter choice
3. Reasonably poor effect on small parties
4. Good likelihood of a single party majority
5. Good MP-constituency link
6. Good ease of use

Question 11

Describe regional list:

Answer 11

1. Proportional
2. Large multi member constituencies
3. Open-vote for candidates within a party list
   Closed-vote for party
4. Uses the d’Handt formula (#votes cast for party/#seats already won + 1), in closed the list is ranked, in open its the candidate with the most votes
5. Closed regional list used in EU parliament for E, S and W

Question 12

Outline the effects of regional list:

Answer 12

1. Good proportionality
2. Reasonable voter choice
3. Good effect on small parties
4. Very poor chance of a single party government
5. Poor MP-constituency link (11 MEPs for SE England)
6. Reasonable ease of use

Question 13

Describe STV:

Answer 13

1, Proportional

2. Large multi member constituencies
3. One vote, as many preferences as candidates
4. Candidates must reach the Droop Quota (#valid poll/seats+1) +1, if no candidate reaches the quota the bottom is eliminated and votes recast
5. NIA and Scottish and Irish local government

Question 14

Outline the effects of STV:

Answer 14

1. Good proportionality
2. Very good voter choice (obliges parties to put up a range of candidates, to ‘soak up’ votes)
3. Good effect on small parties
4. Very poor chance of a single party government
5. Poor MP-constituency link
6. Poor ease of use

Question 15

Describe AMS:

Answer 15

1. Hybrid system (FPP + a regional list)
2. Single member in at least 1/2, the other multi-member
3. Two votes, one for single member, other for regional
4. Plurality and d’Handt
5. SP, WA and GLA (more regional = more proportional)

Question 16

Outline the effects of AMS:

Answer 16

1. Good proportionality
2. Good voter choice
3. Good effect on small parties
4. Poor chance of a single party government
5. Good - poor MP constituency link
6. Reasonable ease of use

Question 17

Arguments for retaining FPP:

Answer 17

• It has existed for a long time and is widely accepted
• It is easy to understand
• It retains a very strong MP constituency link
• Tends to produce a strong single party government

Question 18

Arguments for abandoning FPP:

Answer 18

• Unfair system which awards seats disproportionately
• Produces huge numbers of wasted votes, safe seats and ‘no hope’ parties
• Votes are effectively unequal
• It discriminates significantly against small parties
• The 2010 election, a hung parliament weakens the remaining reasoning for FPP
• ‘Winner’s bonus’ gives too much power to majority governments
• Most MPs and governments are elected on a minority of the vote
• turnouts are historically low
• It is out of step with the rest of Europe