Comparison of AMS and FPTP Electoral Systems

Vocabulary flashcards detailing key terms, figures, statistics, and examples from the comparative analysis of the Additional Member System (AMS) and First Past the Post (FPTP).

Additional Member System (AMS)

A hybrid electoral system used in Scottish Parliament elections that combines constituency representatives with a regional party list to achieve greater proportionality.

First Past the Post (FPTP)

A straightforward plurality electoral system used for UK Parliament elections where the candidate who receives the most votes in a constituency wins the seat.

650 constituencies

The geographic divisions contested in a UK General Election, with each constituency electing one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons.

Angus MacDonald

Liberal Democrats candidate who won the Inverness, Skye and West - Ross Shire seat with over 18,000 votes in the 2024 UK General Election.

2024 UK General Election (Labour Party result)

An election outcome demonstrating FPTP's disproportionality, in which the Labour party won just over $\frac{1}{3}$ ($33.7\%$) of the votes but gained a substantial majority of $63\%$ of the seats.

Regional list vote (AMS)

The second vote cast by electors under AMS which is used to ensure the percentage of seats each political party gains broadly reflects its share of the vote.

Reform UK (2026 Scottish Parliament election example)

A case illustrating AMS proportionality where Reform UK achieved approximately $16.6\%$ of the regional vote and secured approximately $13.2\%$ of the seats.

Scottish Greens (2026 election example)

A smaller party that gained 15 MPs in the 2026 election example, demonstrating how AMS provides smaller parties with a greater chance of gaining representation.

Spoiled ballots (2021 Scottish Parliament election)

Over 15,000 regional and constituency votes that were discounted across Scotland because voters found the two-vote system confusing.

Regional MSPs

Seven representatives elected via party lists who, combined with one constituency MSP, provide each Scottish citizen with a total of eight MSPs to represent their views.

Emma Roddick

A constituency MSP representing the Highlands and Islands region mentioned as an example of an elected representative constituents can contact.

Arianne Burgess

A Green party regional MSP representing the Highlands and Islands region.

Kezia Dugdale

A politician who returned to the Scottish Parliament in 2016 via the regional list after failing to win her constituency seat, demonstrating how regional lists can limit direct voter choice.