ELECTIONS

Who can run in local council elections?

• 18 +

• UK, common wealth and Irish citizens

• Some EU citizens

• Must be on the electoral register for the area

• Must work, live or have owned a property in the area for at least a year

Who can’t run in council elections?

• Anyone who works for the local authority

• Senior managers at other local authorities

• Anyone who has been convicted of an electoral offence in the last 5 years

• Anyone who has served 3 months in jail or longer in the past

How is a general election called?

Under the 2022 Dissolution and Calling of parliament Act the government is automatically dissolved 5 years after it is convenes triggering a general election

The PM can use prerogative powers to call a sudden or “snap” election

How many seats are available for MP’S

General election - 650 seats in House of Commons

By election - one seat contested

What is a safe seat?

A seat that safely held by the same party

What is a swing seat?

A seat in a election that is heavily contested by multiple parties ( results can swing wither way)

What are the requirements for voting in the UK general election?

18+ - though Labour are set to introduce legislation giving 16 + 17 yr old the right to vote

UK, Irish or Commonwealth citizen

Must be on the electoral register

As of 2022 ( introduced by Tory govt) must have photo ID

Must not have been disqualified from voting

Why might someone be banned from voting in a general election

• serving prison sentence

• detained over conviction under mental health legislation

• convicted of fraud or illegal election activity

• members of House if Lords

What is the First Past the Post system and how does it work?

• Voting system currently used in the gen election

• Each person has one vote

• You vote for MP’s in your constituency ( not the party)

• The candidate that gets the most votes wins a seat in the House of Commons

• The party with the most seats forms the govt election

  • overall majority - when party has more seats than other parties and independents combined

  • no overall majority - minority administration may form coalition

Pros and cons of FPTP system

Pro

• simple, clear voting system than normally produces stable governments

Con

• not truly representative of the national vote

• may lead to tactical voting and wasted votes

Tactical voting

voters vote for the least-worst option to stop the party they don’t like from being elected.

E.g: If someone doesn’t like the Tories but knows Labour doesn’t have a chance of winning in their constituency they may vote Lib Dem in an attempt to stop the Tories

What is a wasted vote?

A vote that is has no representation in the final election outcome

includes lost votes ( votes for losers) and excess votes ( votes for winners in excess of thats needed to win)

What is proportional representation?

• Not a voting system, its a principle applied to particular voting systems

• parties win seats in direct proportion to their vote share

• percentage of seats = percentage of votes

Pros and cons of proportional representation

PRO

• Fairer to all all parties as seats won are actually proportional to vote

• more smaller parties can lead to more Compromise

• Every vote has equal value - no Wasted votes

• May increase voter Turnout

CONs

• More parties can lead to Weaker and unstable governments

• Easier for Extremist parties to win seats

• PR campaigns in larger constituencies means connection to Local MP’s could be lost