elections and referendums evidence

when have elections created governments with the most support

2024 - labour had the biggest vote share (33.7%) and the most seats (411)

when have elections removed unwanted governments

1979, 1997, 2024

how many votes matter

The Electoral reform society found that only 9.4 million out of 32 million votes were decisive in the 2019 election

how are elections legitimate

free and fair, every 5 years, wide adult franchise only excluding most prisoners and non citizens, we have freedom of speech and association

how have elections provided less legitimate govts recently

coalition in 2010 - many of the voters for both parties didn’t consent to some of their shared policies, minority govt in 2017 - tories didn’t vote for a confidence and supply deal in Northern Ireland

how has the media helped educate on elections

in 2019 31% of broadcast media airtime was devoted to electoral processes (loughborough uni)

how have elections used misinformation

in 2019 labour spread rumours that the tories would privatise the nhs