ELECTORAL SYSTEMS CONTENT (look at electoral reform society)

What electoral systems are used within the UK

• FPTP in UK elections

• AMS in Wales and Scotland and Greater London assembly

• STV in NI

• SV (2000-2022) for London mayoral election, however now will use FPTP

Purposes of elections

• choosing an elected representative and governemnt

• Holding current elected representatives to account

• Legitimising political power

• Limiting power of elected representatives and the government

• Development of political parties

Majoritarian electoral system

• 50% +1 to win

• Usually refers to the minimum number of votes needed to win a seat

• Likely to produce a 2 party system

• Example of majoritarian system is supplementary vote (SV)

Plurality electoral system

• having more votes than anyone else

• No outright majority require to win a seat

• Likely to produce a 2 party system

• Example is FPTP

Proportional electoral systems

• allocates seats roughly in line with the percentage of votes gained by a party

• Likely to produce a multiparty system Example

• Examples: Additional member system (AMS) and Single transferable vote (STV)

FPTP Key features

• used for UK general elections

• Single member constituencies

• Plurality system

• Vets cast for a person rather than a party

Effects of using FPTP

• a 2 party system (creates a ‘winner-takes-all’ system as third or below party gain nothing)

• Beneficial to parties that have a concentration of support in a geographical area (labour and Tory benefitting most in UK)

• A strong single party government: one party wins a clear outright majority meaning it can relatively easily pass legislation

• Safe seats and swing seats: safe seat is a constituency highly likely o be won by a specific party at repeated elections, marginal seats is a constituency which the electoral outcome is not easily predictable and could be won by a number of parties

Winners bonus (FPTP)

• effect of FPTP which tends to over-reward the winning party

• Often results in a higher percentage of seats gined by the winning party than the percentage of vote won

Advantages of FPTP

• simplicity: produces a quick result and voters know how the system works, which may increase turnout and reduce spoiled ballots

• Strong government: able to effectively lead the country rather than needing a compromise of parties

• MP-constituency link: clear link between area and representative, providing accountability to constituents and effective local representation

• Centrist policies: keeps extremist parties out of office as third parties struggle to gain success

Disadvantages of FPTP

• lack of voter choice; may reduce turnout and lead to tactical voting

• Unequal vote value; uneven consituency sizes may make some votes more valuable than others, undermining key democratic principles

• No marjority needed: only a plurality is needed to win in a constituency, which undermines legitimacy and wastes votes of those for a losing candidate

• Disproportionate result; 2 main parties often overrepresented (winners bonus) while others are underrepresented

Additional member system (AMS) key features

• uses two votes - one for a local representative and one for regional representatives, with the aim of producing a more proportional result

• Used for election in the Scottish and Welsh parliaments

• Proportional system

• Uses the d’Hondt formula to allocate seats

• Seats allocated to the most under represented party using it, until 7 seats are filled

Effects of using AMS

• likely to result in a multiparty system as its proportional nature allows minority parties to have some(if limited) success

• Likely to result in a coalition as its proportional nature can be difficult for one party to gain an outright majority

Advantages of AMS

• proportional results: reduces wasted votes and ensures more parties have a chance of being represented

• Split-ticket voting: voters are given more choice with two votes to cast, and can cast their vote for 2 different parties, which also encourages more parties to run

• Government with broad popularity: if coalitions are formed, a greater number of parties can have an input into policy. Supports greater legitimacy of the government

• Greater representation: more chance of voters being ideologically represented, potentially increasing turnout

• MP-constituency link: each constituency is relatively small, giving voters a direct link to national politics and encouraging engagement

Disadvantages of AMS

• more complicated: voters may feel their vote will be mathematically manipulated

• Unlikely single-party government: governments may be weaker and find it more difficult to pass policies on which they campaigned ( exception SNP in 2011)

• FPTP still used for first round: carries same disadvantages

• Different types of representatives: may cause tension and confusion for the voters and blur accountability

• Party control: in regional vote, the party controls the order of its list of candidates which may give excessive inlfuence to party leadership

Single transferable vote (STV) key features

• voters express their preference by ranking candidates

• A candidate needs to achieve the ‘droop quota’ in order to win

• Only system in the UK that allows for ordinal voting (ranking system)

• Proportional system

• Used in NI

Effects of using STV

• likely to result in a multiparty system and produce a coalition governemnt

• Unlikely a party will gain an outright majority

Advantages of STV

• proportional result: close correlation between percentage of vote cast and seats gained, increasing legitimacy of the result

• Voter choice: great degree of choice both between parties and within parties

• Greater representation: multi-member constituencies mean a voter is likely to have someone elected who shares their ideology or beliefs

Disadvantages of STV

• more complicated: may reduce turnout

• Unlikely single party government; Good Friday Agreement means their has to be a coalition government

• Constituency link: no local elected representatives and large multi-member constituencies mean the link between elected representatives and their local area is weaker

Supplementary vote (SV) key features

• majoritarian system

• Voters can express 2 preferences

• Used in the London mayoral election

Effects of using SV

• likely to result in a two party system and produce a strong single party government

Advantages of SV

• majority result: ensures the winning candidate has a clear majority of votes, increasing legitimacy, and leading to a strong single party government

• Voter choice: voters can use one of their votes to ensure the first was not wasted

• Simple: easy to understand how votes are cast and counted which may increase turnout

• Extremist parties: unlikely for them to b successful as they must win a majority

Disadvantages of SV

• two-party dominance: third parties unlikely to do well, and results may be unproportional

• False majority: only ‘valid’ votes count so the second round may eliminate votes

• Wasted votes: large number of wasted votes which have little to no effect on the election outcome

• Tactical voting: may be encouraged, or for people turning up to vote at all

Impacts of electoral systems on government / type of government

• proportional systems have led to a greater number of coalition or minority governments being formed

• However: wales and Scotland have also achieved majority governments through proportional systems

Impact of electoral systems on parties and party systems

• number of parties successfully competing in elections and forming governments has increased as a result of proportional systems

• Eg in wales, Plaid Cymru have gained influence and been able to be part of governments in wales

Referendums

• form of direct democracy in whcih voters decide on a single specific issue by a yes/no question

• Results are not legally binding so parliament can choose whether or not to implement the outcome (usually is implemented) (politically binding rather than legally)

• Only the government can call a referendum and usually on big constitutional questions eg devolution

Arguments in favour of referendums

• legitimacy: strong democratic authority to major constitutional decisions (especially with high turnout and clear results)

• Encourage participation

• Resolve controversies

• Public accountability

• Improve political education

Arguments against referendums

• oversimplification of complex issues

• Risk of populism

• Undermines representative democracy

• Majority dominance - (winner takes all outcome)

• Political manipulation - governments can call referendums when it benefits them politically rather than the public