Electoral Systems

First Past the Post (FPTP)

-Simple pluarlity 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 represented
- Strong government that can pass laws
- Government can be held to account by the electorate

-Type of government it can lead to

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

FPTP

An electoral system where the person with the most number of votes is elected. Victory is achieved by having one more vote than other contenders – it is also called a plurality system.

AMS

A hybrid electoral system that has two components or elements. The voter makes two choices. Firstly, the voter selects a representative on a simple plurality (FPTP) system then a second vote is apportioned to a party list for a second or ‘additional’ representative.

Single Transferable Vote (STV)

This system allows voters to rank their voting preferences in numerical order rather than simply having one voting choice. In order to obtain a seat, a candidate must obtain a quota. After the votes are cast, those with the least votes are eliminated and their votes transferred and those candidates with excess votes above the quota also have their votes transferred.

Supplementary Vote (SV)

This is a majoritarian system. The voter makes two choices (hence the term ‘supplementary’). If one candidate obtains over 50% on the first vote then the contest is complete. If no candidate attains this level, all but the top two candidates are eliminated. Then the supplementary choices are re-distributed and whoever gets most votes from the remaining two, wins the seat. This form of voting for mayors and police and crime commissioners was ended by the Elections Act in 2022

Safe Seat

A seat in which the incumbent has a considerable majority over the closest rival and which is largely immune from swings in voting choice. The same political party retains the seat from election to election. A majority of seats in UK Westminster constituencies are safe seats.

Marginal Seat

A seat held by the incumbent with a small majority. There is no precise percentage or winning margin to which this aligns but a 10% margin would need only a swing of 5% to the rival party to take it. Marginal seats are important as they are where the outcomes of elections are decided. Only a minority of seats in UK Westminster constituencies are marginal.

Minority Government

A government that enters office but which does not have a majority of seats in the legislature (Parliament). This makes passing legislation very difficult.

Coalition Government

A government that is formed of more than one political party. It is normally accompanied by an agreement over policy options and office of state, as was the Conservative-Liberal-Democrat coalition from 2010–2015