ADDITIONAL MEMBER SYSTEM

Question 1

WHAT IS THE AMS?

Answer 1

HYBRID ELECTORAL SYSTEM WHICH COMBINES 2 TYPES OF VOTING : FPTP AND PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION.

Question 2

HOW DO THE 2 TYPES OF VOTING WORK IN AMS?

Answer 2

1. VOTER SELECTS A CONSTIUENCY REPRESENTATIVE IN A SIMPLE PLURALITY SYSTEM (FPTP)
2. 2ND VOTE APPORTIONED TO A PARTY LIST FOR AN ADDITIONAL MEMBER.

Question 3

WHERE IS AMS USED?

Answer 3

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT
WELSH SENEDD
GREATER LONDON ASSEMBLY (GLA)

Question 4

WHEN WAS THE LAST SENEDD ELECTION?

Answer 4

6TH MAY 2021

Question 5

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF AMS?

Answer 5

1. MORE PROPORTIONAL THAN FPTP
2. MAINTAINS CONSTIUENCY LINK
3. WIDE CHOICE

Question 6

WHAT IS THE EXPLANATION FOR AMS BEING MORE PROPORTIONAL THAN FPTP?

Answer 6

THE TOP UP COMPONENT INTRODUCES A PROPORTIONAL ELEMENT ACTING AS A CORRECTIVE TO THE FPTP PART OF THE SYSTEM.

Question 7

HOW IS THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS A PARTY SHOULD BE ALLOCATED FROM THE PARTY LISTS DETERMINED?

Answer 7

d’HONDT FORMULA

Question 8

HOW DOES THE D’HONDT FORMULA LEAD TO GREATER PROPORTIONALITY?

Answer 8

MEANS THAT THE DISTRIBUTION OF SEATS IN THE LEGISLATURE REFLECTS THE PERCENTAGE OF VOTES EACH PARTY RECEIVES REDUCING THE DISTORTION SEEN IN PURE FPTP SYSTEMS WHERE A PARTY CAN WIN A LARGE MAJORITY OF SEATS WITHOUT A MAJORITY OF VOTES.

Question 9

WHAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE GREATER PROPORTIONALITY THAT AMS BRINGS?

Answer 9

IN SCOTLAND, THE TORIES WON 0 SEATS IN 1997 WESTMINSTER ELECTIONS UNDER FPTP BUT THE LIST ENABLED THEM TO WIN 18 SEATS IN THE FIRST SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS IN 1999.

Question 10

HOW DOES AMS MAINTAIN A CONSTIUENCY LINK?

Answer 10

FPTP ELEMENTS PROVIDES DIRECT LOCAL REPRESENTATION. CONSTIUENCY REPRESENTATIVES ARE ELECTED TO REPRESENT A SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL AREA GIVING VOTERS A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THEIR REPRESENTATIVES AND ENSURING LOCAL ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED IN THE LEGISLATURE.

Question 11

HOW DOES AMS LEAD TO WIDER CHOICE?

Answer 11

VOTERS CAN VOTE FOR A SPLIT TICKET BY USING THEIR CONSTIUENCY VOTE TO CHOOSE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM 1 PARTY AND THEIR TOP UP VOTE TO SUPPORT ANOTHER PARTY.

Question 12

HOW DOES AMS MINIMISE WASTED VOTES?

Answer 12

IF A VOTER’S PREFERRED CANDIDATE DOESN’T WIN THE LOCAL CONSTIUENCY SEAT, THEIR PARTY LIST VOTE STILL COUNTS ALLOWING THEIR VOTE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ELECTION OF ADDITIONAL MEMBERS.

Question 13

WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF AMS?

Answer 13

1.2 TIER REPRESENTATIVES
2. ONLY SEMI PROPORTIONAL
3. TACTICAL VOTING ON BOTH PARTY AND CANDIDATE VOTES

Question 14

HOW DOES AMS LEAD TO 2 TIER REPRESENTATION?

Answer 14

CONSTIUENCY MEMBERS MAY BE SEEN AS MORE LEGITIMATE OR ACCOUNTABLE THAN LIST MEMBER AS THEY R ELECTED. LEADS TO FEELINGS OF UNEQUAL REPRESENTATION AND DIVISION IN THE LEGISLATURE.

Question 15

HOW DOES AMS LEAD TO EXTREMISM?

Answer 15

PARTIES CAN PUT WHOEVER THEY WANT ON CLOSED LISTS SO MAY PLACE MORE IDEOLOGICAL AND LOYAL POLITICIANS THERE.