Electoral System Evidence

Question 1

FPTP is speedy at transferring power example

Answer 1

In 1997, Tony Blair arrived at Downing Street as the new Prime Minister at 1pm on the day after the election.

Question 2

FPTP produces fast results example

Answer 2

In 2019, the first constituency result (Newcastle Central) was announced at 23:36 on the day of the election.

Question 3

Referendum in 2011, result and turnout

Answer 3

2011 AV referendum

68% voted against change in electoral system

42% turnout

Question 4

STV is slow at transferring power example

Answer 4

After the 2007 Scottish Parliament Election, it took two weeks for the SNP minority government to be sworn in, after failed coalition talks with the Lib Dems.

Question 5

Mandate examples (2)

Answer 5

1980’s - Thatcher was able to bring about widespread changes to the economy.

1997 - Blair’s government has the mandate to carry out extensive constitutional reforms.

Question 6

key issue voting example

Answer 6

2019 - election was focused around Brexit and forced many voters to prioritise Brexit over their other political views, with many formed Labour voters voting Conservative for the first time.

Question 7

BNP in 2010

Answer 7

2010 - the extreme right wing British National Party won 2% of the national vote, but didn’t finish higher than 3rd in any constituency.

Question 8

European Parliament Elections

Answer 8

2009 - European Parliament elections, which used a closed party list system, by contrast, they won 6.2% of votes and 2 seats.

Question 9

Conservatives rebel against Liz truss

Answer 9

October 2022, 33 conservative MPs rebelled against Liz Truss’ government and abstained in a vote on banning fracking, despite the government ordering them to oppose it.

Question 10

Alasdair McDonnell

Answer 10

2015 GE - Alasdair McDonnell of the SDLP won with just 24.5% of the vote in Belfast South and only polled 14.7% of the electorate if the 60% turnout is taken into account.

Question 11

2019 conservatives % of seats vs votes

Answer 11

In 2019, the Conservative Party won 56% of seats with just 43.6% of the votes.

Question 12

Seats vs votes % Labour 2005

Answer 12

In 2005, the Labour Party won 54.6% of the seats with just 43.6% of the vote.

Question 13

2019 Lib Dem’s - % of vote vs seats

Answer 13

In 2019, the Lib Dem’s won 11.5% of the vote but just 1.7% of the seats.

Question 14

2015 UKIP - % of votes vs seats

Answer 14

In 2015, UKIP won 12.6% of votes but 0.2% of seats

Question 15

What % of voters voted tactically in the 2019 GE

Answer 15

YouGov data commissioned by the Electoral Reform Society indicated that 32% of voters voted tactically in the 2019 election.

Question 16

Safe seat for conservatives

Answer 16

South Staffordshire has elected a Conservative MP in every election in its creation in 1983.

Gavin Williamson won 73% of the vote in 2019.

Question 17

Marginal seat

Answer 17

Thanet South, Kent

It has been won by the party which has won the GE since its creation

Question 18

Coalition govt since 2000

Answer 18

2010
2017

Question 19

Scottish parliament - seats for single-member constituencies vs list members

Answer 19

In the Scottish parliament, 73 of the 129 members are elected in single-member constituencies, with the remaining 56 being filled by list members.

Question 20

1999 Scottish Parliament election - conservative seats vs % of votes

Answer 20

In the 1999 Scottish Parliament election the Conservative Party won 0 constituency MPs despite getting 15.6% of the vote, but won 18 additional member seats in order to correct this, leading them to receive 14% of seas overall.

Question 21

‘Split-ticket’ voting example

Answer 21

In the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, the Greens won just 1.29% of constituency votes, but 8.12% of the top-up votes and got 8 seats.

Question 22

AMS isn’t great for representation example

Senedd

Answer 22

In the 2021 Senedd election, the Green Party won 1.6% of the constituency votes and 4.4% of the top up votes but no seats.

Question 23

AMS is more likely yo lead to minority and coalition government: Scotland example

Answer 23

In the six Scottish governments since devolution, 3 have been coalition governments, whilst 2 have been minority governments.

Question 24

Scottish Local Elections (STV)

2022 % of councils with no overall control vs 2003

Answer 24

After the 2022 elections 94% of councils had no overall control. In 2003, when Scottish Local elections still used FPTP, only 38% of councils had no overall control.

Question 25

Northern Ireland dominating parties

Answer 25

DUP and Sinn Fein now dominate, replacing the more moderate parties since 2007.

Question 26

Donkey voting in Northern Ireland example (STV)

Answer 26

In the 2019 local elections in Northern Ireland, in District Electoral Areas where there were two candidates running from the same party, the candidate whose surname was first alphabetically was elected 85% of the time, whilst the second candidate n the ballot paper was elected only 54% of the time.

Question 27

Largest mandate of any elected politician

Answer 27

Sadiq Khan has the largest personal mandate of any elected politician in British history

SV - London Mayor

Question 28

AMS is more complicated than FPTP

Ballots incorrectly completed

Answer 28

In 2007 in Scotland, 146,000 ballots were incorrectly completed

Question 29

Proportionality of the systems: deviation from the mean

Answer 29

FPTP deviates over 20% from the mean

11% for AMS in Scotland

15% for AMS in Wales

7% for STV in Northern Ireland

Question 30

2019 election turnout

Answer 30

67.3%

Question 31

2021 Scottish Parliament election turnout

Answer 31

63.5%

Question 32

2022 Northern Irish Assembly election turnout

Answer 32

63.6%