Elections & Referendums

Question 1

3 Majoritarian Electoral Systems?

Answer 1

Supplementary Vote
Alternative Vote
First Past the Post

Question 2

2 Proportional Electoral Systems?

Answer 2

Single Transferable Vote

Additional Members System

Question 3

What are Voting Behaviour Models?

Answer 3

Theories to explain the way in which we vote

Question 4

What is a Manifesto?

Answer 4

declaration of a parties intentions if they were to form a government

Question 5

What is a Campaign?

Answer 5

organised effort to influence the decision of voters - electoral campaigns

Question 6

What determined the length of a parliament to a 5 year term?

Answer 6

Fixed Parliament Act 2011

Question 7

What are the 4 most common elections in the UK?

Answer 7

Genral, By, Local, European Parliament

Question 8

What is Suffrage?

Answer 8

Right to vote in political elections

Question 9

General Election turn out in 2010, 2015 and 2016?

Answer 9

65%, 66%, 69%

Question 10

Reasons for low turn-out at Elections?

Answer 10

lack of party identification (partisan dealignment), predictable result, parties are interchangeable (too similar)

Question 11

What is the Supplementary Vote used for? + how does it work?

Answer 11

London Mayoral Elections

voters pick top 2 candidates, person with 50% majority wins.

Question 12

3 Advantages of Majoritarian Electoral System?

Answer 12

Winner has a majority, strong government with a majority, easy to understand

Question 13

2 Disdvantages of Majoritarian Electoral System?

Answer 13

deals with parties (Labour & Lib Dem to keep out tory), favour central parties (will be everyones second choice)

Question 14

Advantages of FPTP Electoral System? (5)

Answer 14

Simple, Clear Outcome, Strong government, representative, keeps out extreme parties

Question 15

Disadvantages of FPTP Electoral System?(3)

Answer 15

Disproportional Outcome, votes are wasted, plurality rather than majority of support.

Question 16

What is the FPTP Electoral System?

Answer 16

Candidates can vote for one candidate, the candidate with the plurality (1 more than the candidate behind them) wins.

Question 17

What is a Safe Seat?

Answer 17

Same Party is always voted for

Question 18

What is a Marginal Seat?

Answer 18

different parties have a chance to win depending on the swing of each party at the time.

Question 19

What is Rational Choice Model?

Answer 19

Voting Behaviour; Voters evaluate parties & make a conscious decision based on their policies & reputation. (salient issues, swing & churn)

Question 20

What are salient issues?

Answer 20

Most important issues regarding Education, Taxation, Healthcare, immigration etc.

Question 21

What is Dominant Ideology Model?

Answer 21

Voting Behaviour; Voters are persuaded through outside influences (the media)

Question 22

What is Social Structure/Sociology Model?

Answer 22

Voting Behaviour; Voters vote depending on their age, ethnicity, class, gender, region etc.

Question 23

What would Partisan Dealignment since 1974 suggest?

Answer 23

No longer a clear relationship between individual & party.

Question 24

How has Class voting changed?

Answer 24

Working class Labour (Trade Unions) now vote Conservative

Question 25

What % did AB support for Labour increase by?

Answer 25

26% to 37% from 2010 to 2017

Question 26

What percentage of BAME voters voted Labour in 2015?

Answer 26

70%

Question 27

Why do ethnicities vote Labour?

Answer 27

Represent ethnic minorities through their policies & party members

Question 28

Proof of how disproportionate FPTP Electoral System is?

Answer 28

UKIP received 3.9 million votes Greens 1.2 million = one MP each.

Question 29

What % of 18-24 voted Labour & Conservative in 2017 GE?

Answer 29

60% Labour 24% Conservative

Question 30

What % of 65+ voted conservative in 2017 GE?

Answer 30

60%

Question 31

What is Selective Retention?

Answer 31

Remembering facts that reinforce our established ideas and forgetting what doesn't.

Question 32

What is Selective Exposure?

Answer 32

Avoiding messages that conflict with our beliefs e.g. reading papers that support your party.

Question 33

What does the Electoral Commission do? (in regards to referendums)

Answer 33

Makes sure Referendums are conducted fairly, allocates funds to campaigns, checks question to make sure its not bias.

Question 34

3 Advantages of Referendum?

Answer 34

clear mandate direct democracy participation.

Question 35

6 Disadvantages of Referendum?

Answer 35

``` Expensive Unlevel financial support Voter Fatigue Oversimplified matter Uneducated given a voice Used as a protest as Outcomes are backed by parties ```

Question 36

Exit & Opinion Polls?

Answer 36

Exit- Voters asked how they voted on election day = accurate Opinion- Find out how people intend to vote, e.g. 2017 conservative majority, not considering Young support for labour.

Question 37

How does the Alternative Vote System work?

Answer 37

Voters rank candidates in order of preference

Question 38

How does the Single Transferable vote System work?

Answer 38

Candidates ranked in order and then lowest candidates are eliminated until seats are filled (depends on seats available + number of votes)

Question 39

How does the Additional Members System work + when is it used?

Answer 39

FPTP + Party List system. e.g. Members of Scottish & Welsh Parliament/Assembly