Electoral Systems

First Past the Post (FPTP)

- An electoral system, sometimes known as a plurality system
- candidate with the largest number of votes is elected
- Victory is achieved by having at least one more vote than other contenders

Criteria for Voting Systems

- A fair result that giving votes equal value
- A choice of candidates
- Link between representatives and the constituency
- Strong government that can pass laws
- Government can be held to account by the electorate

Advantages of FPTP

- Quick and simple
- Provides a strong and stable government (two party system)
- Exclusion of extremists
- Promotes a strong link between MPs and constituencies

Disadvantages of FPTP

- MPs and government don't need majority
- Conservatives (David Cameron) house majority with 36.9% of popular vote
- UKIP got 12.7% but 1 seat
- Lack of proportionality
- Limited voter choice
- Safe seats leads to unequal votes

Marginal Seats

- Seats held by a small majority
- Small swing to an opposition candidate can cause the seat to change hands
- E.g. Watford

Safe Seats

- Constituencies in which the sitting MP has a secure majority
- E.g. Newcastle North

Electoral Deserts

- Areas of the country where a party cannot win seats
- E.g. South-East England is a desert for Labour

Additional Member System (AMS)

- A hybrid electoral system
- The voter makes two choices
- First, the voter selects a representative by FPTP
- A second vote is made for a party
- Additional members would be elected by these votes
- Additional members don't have a constituency

Single Transferable Vote (STV)

- An electoral system where preferences are ranked numerically
- In order to win a seat, a candidate must obtain a quota (number of votes)
- After the votes are cast, if a candidate meets the quota, their excess votes are transferred to other candidates based on second preference
- The candidate with the least number of votes is eliminated and votes redistributed based on next preference
- Repeated until all seats are filled

Supplementary Vote (SV)

- A majoritarian electoral system where voters rank first and second choice
- If one candidate obtains more than 50% on the first vote, then they are elected
- Otherwise, the top two candidates remain and supplementary votes are added
- Then, the candidate with the most votes wins

AMS is used in...

- Scottish Parliament
- Welsh Assembly
- Greater London Assembly

Advantages of AMS

- Introduces a proportional element
- Corrects flaws of FPTP
- FPTP element maintains a string link between the member and the constituency
- Electors have wider choice than under FPTP

Disadvantages of AMS

- Creates two different types of member, some with constituency responsibilities and some without
- Smaller parties achieve less representation than under a fully proportional system
- Closed list system means there isn't choice of member

STV is used in...

- Northern Ireland Assembly
- European Parliament Elections
- Northern Ireland and Scottish Council Elections

Advantages of STV

- Close correlation between votes and seats
- Voter choice is high
- Northern Ireland shows a power-sharing government between rivals

Disadvantages of STV

- Not fully proportional
- Large multi-member constituencies leads to weak constituency/member link
- Power sharing governments are still prone to conflict

Supplementary Vote is used in...

- Elections for the London Mayor

Advantages of SV

- Ensures broad support for the winner
- Simple and straight forward to use
- Has allowed some independent candidates to win

Disadvantages of SV

- Not proportional as only one winner
- The winner does not need to get an absolute majority of the votes
- Voters need to be able to guess top two to influence the outcome

Circumstances of a Referendum

- Legitimising a major government initiative
- Getting a government out of a difficult situation
- Result of a deal between political parties
- Response to pressure to hold a referendum

Establishment of a Scottish Parliament result

Sept 1997 - 74.3% Yes

Establishment of a Welsh Assembly result

Sept 1997 - 50.3% Yes

Turnout for Welsh Assembly?

50.1%

London Mayor and Assembly result

May 1998 - 72% Yes

Change to AV for the Westminster Electoral System result

May 2011 - 67.9% No

Scottish Independence result

Sept 2014 - 55.3% No

Scottish independence turnout

84.6%

Remain or Leave the EU result

June 2016 - 52% Leave

Turnout of EU referendum? 2016

72%

For Referendums

- Allows direct influence
- Encourages people to find out more about major political issues
- Can help to settle an issue

Against Referendums

- Elected politicians are supposed to make the decisions
- On behalf of less informed voters
- Politicians are paid to do this
- Campaigns with more money can influence voters more

Switch to AV system

2011 68% no

What was turnout for AV referednum

42.2%

What are local referendums?

• 1998 Have an elected mayor and assembly

• 2004 North East rejects having a regional assembly

• Edinburugh and Manchester over congestion charges