Elections and referendums Flashcards
(49 cards)
1
Q
what are majoritarian electoral systems?
A
system where the winner must achieve a majority of votes to win, either through a simple or absolute majority
2
Q
what are some examples of majoritarian systems?
A
- FPTP
- Alternative vote (AV)
- Supplementary vote (SV)
3
Q
what are the two types of majorities?
A
- simple majority: Candidate with the most votes wins, even if under 50%.
- Absolute Majority: Candidate needs over 50% of the vote.
4
Q
what are some advantages of majoritarian systems?
A
- strong governments
- clear accountability
- simple process
5
Q
what are some disadvantages of majoritarian systems?
A
- disproportional outcomes
- wasted votes
- tactical voting
- often electoral deserts where some regions have little competition due to it being a stronghold
6
Q
How does first-past-the-post work?
A
Candidate with the most votes wins, even if they receive less than 50% of the vote
7
Q
How does Supplementary vote work?
A
- Voters pick a 1st and 2nd choice.
- If no candidate gets 50% in the first round, all but the top two are eliminated, and second-choice votes are redistributed.
8
Q
how does Alternate vote system work?
A
- Voters rank candidates.
- If no absolute majority, the lowest candidate is eliminated, and votes are redistributed until one candidate passes 50%.
9
Q
what are proportional electoral systems?
A
systems where seat allocation closely matches vote share
10
Q
what are some examples of proportional electoral systems?
A
- single transferable vote (STV)
- Additional member system (AMS)
11
Q
What are some advantages of proportional electoral systems?
A
- fairer representation
- fewer wasted votes
12
Q
what are some disadvantages of proportional electoral systems?
A
- weaker governments (coalition)
- can create political gridlock due to lack of majority
- benefits radical parties e.g. Reform
13
Q
what is Single Transferable vote and how are candidates chosen?
A
- A system for multi-member constituencies.
- Voters rank candidates in order of preference.
- They can rank as many or as few candidates as they like.
14
Q
How are winners chosen in single transferable vote?
A
Candidates must meet a calculated vote quota. Extra votes above the quota are transferred to other candidates.
15
Q
What happens if no one gets the quota in single transferable vote system?
A
The lowest candidate is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed.
16
Q
how does Additional Member system work?
A
- A mix of FPTP and proportional representation.
- Some seats are won via FPTP, others allocated based on vote share to reduce disproportionality.
17
Q
what are some methods of participation?
A
- voting
- party membership
- protests
- petitions
18
Q
what are some demographics which can impact voting behaviour?
A
- age
- social class
- religion
- ethnicity
19
Q
what is a manifesto?
A
a document outlining a party’s policies for governance before an election
20
Q
why are manifestos important?
A
- influence voter choice
- provide clarity on what voters can expect from the party.
- increased accountability as voters know what to expect
21
Q
How can Party policies and manifestos impact voter turnout
A
- can help resonate with voters
- Clear and credible policies boost voter engagement. When parties present appealing policies (e.g., Labour 1997) and are seen as trustworthy, turnout increases.
- However, broken promises (e.g., Lib Dems 2010 tuition fees) can discourage trust and participation.
22
Q
example of influential manifestos and how they impacted elections
A
- 1997: Labour manifesto focused on economic stability, education, healthcare and minimum wage. resonated with all voters
- 1979: Thatcher focused on reducing inflation, lowering tax and reforming the public sector. Labour was less focused on economic and more on social reforms, did not appeal to voters
- 2019: Labour’s radical policies were seen as unaffordable, damaging credibility. Many middle-class voters switched to the Conservatives.
23
Q
what are some key aspects of a campaign?
A
- advertising
- debates
- rallies
- social media
24
Q
What is the First Past the Post system used for?
A
UK general election
25
what are advantages of first past the post?
- strong governments
- clear accountability
- simple to understand
26
what are disadvantages of first past the post?
- Encourages a two-party system, limiting smaller parties’ influence (e.g., 2015 UKIP: 3.8 mil votes, 1 seat, SNP: 1.4 million votes, 56 seats)
- wasted votes
- exaggerates victories (e.g. Blair 1997 43% of votes but 63% of seats)
27
what is the additional member system used for?
- Scottish Parliament
- Welsh Senedd
28
what are some advantages of AMS?
- fairer representation: smaller parties have a better chance of winning seats compared to FPTP, still favours larger parties slightly due to FTPT element
- proportionate
- reduces wasted votes
29
what are some disadvantages of AMS?
- more complicated as voters have to make two choices instead of one
- encourages coalitions and weak government
30
what is Single Transferable Vote used for?
- Northern Ireland Assembly
- Scottish local elections
31
What was the voter share, seats and voter turnout in the 1997 General Election?
- Turnout, 71.4%
- Labour 43.2% vote, 418 seats
- Conservatives 30.7% vote, 165 seats
32
What were the key factors involved in the 1997 election
- Blair’s Leadership: Modern, charismatic, strong media presence.
- New Labour Policies: Focused on economy, NHS, education.
- Tory Failures: Scandals, economic issues, ‘cash for questions’.
- media influence: newspapers like the sun backed Blair (The Sun Backs Blair)
- By 1997, 60% of voters trusted Labour more on the economy (1992: only 28%
33
What was the result, seats, vote share and turnout of the 1979 election?
- Turnout: 76%
- Conservatives: 43.9% of the vote, 339 seats
- Labour: 36.9% of the vote, 269 seats
34
what were the key factors in the 1979 election?
- Winter of Discontent: Strikes, inflation, economic chaos.
- Thatcher’s Leadership: Seen as strong and decisive.
- Trade Union Backlash: Tories promised to curb union power.
- Media: The Sun and Daily Mail backed Thatcher, increasing her credibility.
35
What was the result, voter share, seats and turnout of the 2019 election?
- Turnout: 63.7% (down from 2017: 68.8%).
- Conservatives: 43.6% vote, 365 seats
- Labour: 32.1% vote, 202 seats (worst since 1935).
36
Key factors in the 2019 election
- Brexit Divide: Johnson’s “Get Brexit Done” vs. Labour’s unclear stance.
- Corbyn’s Leadership: Accusations of antisemitism, radical policies.
- Collapse of the 'Red Wall': traditional Labour strongholds in the North and Midlands fell due to Brexit and dislike for Corbyn
37
what is the impact of newspapers on elections?
- 1992: “It’s The Sun Wot Won It” – media helped shift support to the Conservatives.
- Anti-Labour campaigns (e.g., discrediting Neil Kinnock).
38
Impact of social media on elections
- Higher engagement, especially among young voters.
- 2017: Corbyn’s campaign gained 500,000 Twitter mentions.
39
Impact of TV debates on elections
- Gives smaller parties a national platform.
- 2010: Nick Clegg’s strong debate performance boosted Lib Dem poll ratings
- seat gain was limited
40
what are referendums?
- voters are presented with a question (often yes or no)
- outcome is determined by majority of those who participate
41
what are some advantages of referendums?
- more democratic
- political legitimacy
- Enhances direct democracy and public trust in decisions.
42
what are some disadvantages of referendums?
- Oversimplifies Issues: Brexit vote didn’t address consequences.
- Voter Confusion: Many don’t understand complex topics.
- Tyranny of the Majority: 51.9% Brexit vote ignored 48.1%.
- referendums can be used as a political tool by governments to bypass Parliament
43
Examples of referendums with high turnouts?
- 2016 Brexit: 72.2%
- 2014 Scotland independence: 84.6%
44
What are some reasons for high election turnouts?
- importance of the issue e.g. BREXIT was a crucial decision economically
- strong public opinion
- media coverage
45
Examples of referendums with lower voter turnouts
- 2011 AV referendum: 42.2% turnout
- 2004 North East Regional Assembly referendum: 48.7%
46
what are some reasons for low turnout
- Turnout depends on issue importance
- voter apathy: voters feel the outcome won't significantly affect them or if they don't understand
- issue it too complicated
47
How does age affect voter decisions and give an example
- younger voters = labour
- 2024
- 18-24: 41% Labour, 8% Tory.
- 70+: 46% Tory, 20% Labour.
48
How does education affect voter decisions and give an example?
- higher education = more likely labour
- 2024
- Higher education: 42% Labour, 18% Tory.
- Lower education: 31% Tory, 28% Labour.
49
how does ethnicity affect voter decisions?
- ethnic = labour
- 2024
- Black voters: 68% Labour
- Asian voters: 39% Labour, 18% Tory
- Mixed voters: 50% Labour, 14% Tory
