Electoral Systems

Question 1

FPTP examples
Turnout

Answer 1

turnout:
2019 67.3%
2017 68.8
2010 65.1
2001 59.4
1997 71.4
Indyref 84
Brexit 72

Question 2

FPTP examples
election results

Answer 2

2019
Tory= 43.6% 365 seats
Labour= 32.2% 203 seats
SNP= 3.9% 48 seats
Lib Dems 11.5% 11 seats
2017
Tory= 42% 318 seats
Labour= 40% 262 seats
SNP= 3% 35 seats
Lib Dems 7.4% 12 seats

Question 3

FPTP Examples
Safe and marginal seats

Answer 3

45% of Tory Seats are safe-most safe=Surry and Buckinghamshire

42% of Labour seats are safe - most safe= Liverpool Watson 2019 74%majority stronghold since 1964

Question 4

what are the outcomes of FPTP

Answer 4

1. Two Party System Greens usually receive 2-3% but have only ever won 1 seat. This would be 10-15 seats if a PR system was used
   2017 Conservative and Labour achieved 82% of the vote
2. Winners Bonus
   Boris Johnson landslide victory of 365 seats Gaining 18 of these seats Mainly from Labours red wall
   3.Discrimination to smaller parties
3. Single Party Gov

Question 5

Advantages to FPTP

Answer 5

1.Strong constituency-MP link
2.clear outcomes
3.Strong, Stable Gov
4.Responsible government - Can hold governments to account if they don’t fulfil their mandate

Question 6

Disadvantages of FPTP

Answer 6

1.Disproportional outcomes - 2019 Con 365 seats 43% of vote
2005 Labour 66 maj 35% of vote
2. Electoral deserts
3.Dont need a maj to win seats
4. Apathy

Question 7

STV
What is it?

Answer 7

· Representatives are elected in multi-member constituencies.

· Voting is preferential – voters show their preferences by writing 1 next to their first choice of candidate, 2 next to their second choice etc

· Voting is ordinal – voters can vote for as many or few candidates as they like

· Proportional system – Seats are allocated in direct proportion to votes cast.

Question 8

where is STV used

Answer 8

· Northern Ireland’s Assembly

· Local government in Scotland and N. Ireland

· Deputy Speakers in the Commons

· Previously the European Parliament.

Question 9

STV
NI Assembly results 2022

Answer 9

Turn out=62%
Sinn Fein 27 seats - 29% first pref votes
DUP 25 seats - 21% first pref votes
Alliance party 17 seats - 13% fiest pref votes

Question 10

STV advantages

Answer 10

Delivers proportional outcomes and ensured that votes are largely of equal value.

· The most popular candidates overall are elected.

· Government is more likely to consist of a party or group of parties who won over 50% of the vote

· Voters choose between wide range of candidates, parties including different candidates from the same party meaning there is a greater choice

· Helps small parties/independents get elected

Question 11

STV disadvantages

Answer 11

· Can give minority parties disproportionate power

· Counting process is lengthy and complex, results are not immediate

· Complex system for voters

· Often 6 representatives per constituency - Large, multi-member constituencies weaken the link between MPs and their constituency

· It is likely to produce a coalition government that could be unstable (Northern Ireland 2017 collapse over power -sharing agreements)

Question 12

AMS
What is it?

Answer 12

· Hybrid system - of FPTP and regional list systems

· Closed party list

· Proportion of seats in legislative assembly elected using FPTP
73/129 - Scottish Parliament
40/60 - Welsh Assembly

Question 13

AMS
Where is it used?

Answer 13

· Scottish parliament
· Welsh Assembly
· London Assembly

Question 14

AMS
Scottish election results 2021

Answer 14

SNP - 44% of vote constituency 62 seats total 64
Con - 22.8% of vote constituency 5 seats total 31
Labour - 19.8% of vote constituency 2 seats total 22
Green 4.7% of vote constituency 0 seats total 8

Question 15

AMS advantages

Answer 15

· Combines the best of FPTP and proportional representation – constituency representation with fairness of outcomes

· Results are broadly proportional

· Fewer wasted votes

· Voters have greater choice – more evidence of split-ticket voting where voters use their constituency vote for a preferred candidate but their list vote for a different party

· Helps smaller parties who could not win constituency seats

Question 16

AMS disadvantages

Answer 16

· Creates two categories of representative – one with constituency duties and one without. This could create tensions in the legislative assembly

· Parties have control over the lists and voters cannot choose between candidates of the same party

· Smaller parties often under-represented – only a few representatives are elected in multi-member seats.

· Extremist candidates have more chance of securing seats

· More complex than FPTP – two votes for different representatives may confuse some voters

Question 17

AMS
Senedd Cymru results 2021

Answer 17

Labour - 39% of vote constituency 27 seats total 30
Con - 26% of vote constituency 8 seats total 16
Plaid Cymru - 20% of vote constituency 5 seats total 13