Topic 1 Flashcards
Understand (106 cards)
1
Q
Define Representative Democracy
A
Citizens choose repsentatives (politicans) to speak for them in an assembly of representatives
2
Q
Purpose of a Representative Democracy?
A
Easier for the people to partcipate
3
Q
Define Delegates
A
Give authority to someone else to act on your behalf
4
Q
Define Entrust
A
Placing your trust in someone to act solely in your best interest—they are a trustee
5
Q
State the another term used to identify the Legislative Assembly
A
Lower House
6
Q
How many total seats does the Legislative Assembley have? (WA)
A
59
7
Q
How many seats are necessary to form government in the Legislative Assembley? (WA)
A
30
8
Q
State the another term used to identify the Legislative Council
A
Upper House
9
Q
How many seats does the Legislative Council have? (WA)
A
36
10
Q
How many votes are necessary to pass bills in the Legislative Council? (WA)
A
19
11
Q
What is the House of Representatives referred to as?
A
The ‘Peoples House’
12
Q
What is the Senate reffered to as?
A
The ‘States House”
13
Q
How many electorates are in the House of Representatives voting system?
A
151
14
Q
State the electoral system used in the House of Representatives
A
Preferential Voting
15
Q
How many electors are there approx. in each electorate (House of Representatives)?
A
107,000
16
Q
What is the purpose of electors voting?
A
To elect a candidate for representation in parliment.
17
Q
When was Preferential Voting introduced in the House of Represenatives?
A
1918
18
Q
Is the House of Representatives aiming for majority rule? Explain.
A
Yes. The House of Representatives operates on majority rule, as the government is formed by the party or coalition with the most seats. This majority allows them to pass legislation more easily.
19
Q
How many seats are requried to form a majority (government) in the House of Representatives?
A
76
20
Q
How many total seats are in the House of Representatives?
A
151
21
Q
Does the Senate use electorates?
A
No
22
Q
State the electoral system used in the Senate
A
Proportional Voting
23
Q
Is the Senate electoral system a multi-member electorate or single-member electorate?
A
Multi-member electorate
24
Q
Is the House of Representatives electoral system a multi-member electorate or single-member electorate?
A
Single-member electorates
25
How many candidates are representing each state for the Senate?
12
26
How many candidates are representing each territory for the Senate?
2
27
What year was Proportional Voting introduced into the Senate?
1949
28
Is the Senate aiming for a majority rule? Explain.
No. They are an advisory council (a house of review) aimed at debating bills the government suggests, scrutinising legislation and holding the government accountable for their actions.
29
How many total seats are in the Senate?
76
30
How many votes are rquired to pass bills in the Senate? What happens if the result is 38-38?
39. If the result becomes a tie, the Senate President holds the decision.
31
What was the first electoral system used in the Senate and House of Representative? What years?
First Past the Post. 1902-1918
32
When was preferential voting introduced to both the Senate and House of Representatives?
1918
33
Define Political Participation, examples.
Active involvement of citizens; voting, pressure groups, protesting, involvement in political parties
34
Why is Political Participation important?
Necessary to form a government of the peoples choice
35
Define 'fixed terms', in terms of Australian Politics
Elections held every 3-4 years
36
Define 'maximum terms', in terms of Australian Politics
Power of the government to hold an election when they want during a specific time frame
37
Explain S.7
Senators have 6-year terms. Every 3 years, half of the senators terms end and elections happen (senate rotation). Each state has 12 senators, territories have 2 each (76 seats total).
38
Explain S.24
There are 151 electorates that are divided among all the states/territories depending on population size. Elections occur triennally (3 years). 'Peoples House' - people represented more.
39
Define 'Double Dissolution Election'
Simultaneous dissolution of both the Senate and House of Representatives by order of the Governer General (everyone has to be re-elected, ignoring terms)
40
Explain the purpose of a Senate Rotation and Australia's inspiration
US inspired. Ensures stability and continuit - Senate does not stop operating during elections.
41
Who decides when the federal election for the House of Representatives will be held?
The Priminister
42
Define Electoral System
The mechanisms through which votes are cast, counted and translated into parlimenatary representation and/or leadership.
43
Define Electorate (electoral division or seat)
A geographical area in which citizens vote to elect a parlimentary representative (can be small or large)
44
Define Single-Member Electorate
An electorate represented by 1 representative
45
Define Multi-Member Electorate
An electorate represented by more than 1 parlimentary representative
46
Name models by which MPs may represent their consituents by
Delegate Representation, Trustee Representation, Partisan Representation, Mirror Representation
47
Define Delegate Representation
Representatives actively communicate with their constituents and vote based on the views of the community opposed to their individual opinion. They act as a voice to parliment.
48
Define Trustee Representation
Constituents trust their representative in parliment to make the best decisions on behalf of them. They do not communicate about every issue - representative makes decision based on their belief of what is the right vote.
49
Partisan Representation
Representatives voice and vote the same way their parties beliefs are aligned with. Most electors choose their representatives based off of party affiliation.
50
Define Mirror Representation
When the legislatures composition mirrors socities diversity (e.g. gender ratio in society).
51
Define Fair Election
Elections that maximise the political participation and safegaurd the political freedoms that facilitate it (e.g. elections are administered by an independent body - not connected to the government or a party)
52
In Australia, what is the body that administers Federal Elections?
Australian Electoral Commision
53
What is the role of the Australian Electoral Commision?
To administer and count votes to determine a winner.
54
Explain the importance of Electoral Systems in a representative democracy, state some features.
Ensure each election is as fair as possible.
All citizens have the right to vote.
Electors are free from intimidation/undue influence.
Every vote is equal.
Candidate eligibility is broad, transparent and inclusive.
55
Why are elections held frequently and regularly?
Ensures accountability.
Reflect changing public opinion.
Prevents abuse of power.
Upholds effective + stable government.
56
Are Majoritarian Systems single-member electorate based or multi-member?
Single-member
57
One positive and one negative of majoritarion systems
+:Majroity Rule
-:Minority Representation
58
Examples of majoritarian systems
Preferential Voting, First Past the Post
59
Explain First Past the Post. One positive and one negative.
The party, person etc. that recieves the most votes, wins (no re-distribution, majority rule, winnder takes all).
+: Majority rule, easy for electors, quick vote counting
-: Decreased minority representation, high vote wastage, vote splitting, created obstructionist and rubber stamp houses
60
Explain an obstructionist house
One party is majority in the Senate (not the government party), bills do not pass
61
Explain a rubber stamp house
Both the Senate and House of Representatives have a majority of the same party, causing a decrease in legislation scrutinity and debate. Bills pass easily.
62
Define Winners Bonus (winners margin)
Percentage of the total seats won is greater than the percentage of the total votes won by the election winner.
63
Define Vote Wastage (in terms of FPP)
Higher in First Past the Post. Votes for non-winning parties effectively disregarded.
64
Define Vote Splitting (in terms of FPP)
First Past the Post can favour less preferred parties if similar parties split the majority rule.
65
Explain Preferential Voting
A majoritarian (single-member electorate) electoral system where electors are presented a ballot with candidates (parties) from their electorate where they must number from (e.g.) 1-12, on who they would prefer to win over others.
66
Explain Optional Preferential Voting
The elector picks the candiates they want to win and order them, leaving unwanted ones blank.
67
Explain Exhasted Preferential Voting
The elector numbers every candidate from most preferred to least.
68
Name one advanate of preferential voting and one disadvantage
+: Enhanced majority rule, emilination of vote splitting, reduced vote wastage, promotion of accountability, oppurtunity for smaller parties
-: Complexity, vote wastage, over-representation of major parties, complicated preferene deals, potential for skewed results, limited reflection of societal diversity
69
Define Preference Deals
When parties make deals with eachother to promote their electors to pick a certain party as their second (third, fourth etc.) preference on the ballot
70
Why are the Nationals almost always guaranteed seats?
They have large amount of concentrated voters in certain electorates, particularly regional QLD and NSW.
71
Why are the Greens not always guaranteed seats from electorates?
Greens suppporters are thinly spread across every electorate, meaning they may not win seats as other electors in the electorate vote for another party.
72
What is a formal vote?
A vote that is marked correctly and completely
73
What is an informal vote?
A vote has not been fully completed, incorrectly completed or the person who voted is identifiable. This vote will not be counted toward the election result.
74
How does a candidate win the electorate seat in PV?
If they win more than half of the votes in their electorate, they will win the seat (a majority)
75
What does the term 'recent' refer to?
Last 10 years.
76
What does the term 'contemporary' refer to?
Last 3 years.
77
Explain how the Proportional Representation (PR) system is 'fairer to political parties' than majoritarian systems
PR operates on the concept of 'you get what you deserve' basis instead of majoritarian systems where 'winner takes all'. PR ensures minor parties gain seats proportional to their electoral support - if a party/candidate wins 30% of the votes, they should secure 30% of the parlimentary seats.
78
Explain how STV/PR works
To win a seat, candidates must meet a quota. If a candidate meets the quota on primary votes, they are elected. An elected candidates surplus votes are redistributed to other candidates based on elector preferences but, are diminished in value. Preferences are all redistributed until all seats have been filled.
79
Name one advantage and one disadvantage of STV/PR
+:Diversifies the candidates, hung senate (necessitate negotiation + compromise), minorities better represented, fosters multi-party system
-: Complex, lots of reps. per electorate, hung senate (legislative impasses), undermine majority rule
80
Is Proportional voting single-member electorate based or multi-member?
Multi-member
81
When was STV/PR intorduced into the senate?
1949
82
Does STV/PR has below the line voting and...
Above the line voting.
83
Does the elector have to mark every box in STV/PR?
No, only 1-6 for above the line and 1-12 for below the line.
84
What does STV stand for?
Single-transferrable vote
85
What was the original concept of STV/PR for voters marking the ballot?
Every box had to be numbered and there were only candidates to vote for, this became saturated with nearly 100 candidates in NSW leading to many informal votes.
86
What was the 1984 STV/PR reform?
Introduced above the line voting - voting for parties, marking only one party - and below the line voting (which was the same as before).
87
What was the 2016 STV/PR reform?
Negative effects of GTV reveresed by restoring electors voting power (could now number parties in preferences), preventing parties from exploitating.
88
Define quota
The number of votes required to win a seat in an electoral system with proportional voting.
89
Define group ticket voting (GTV)
Option for electors to make a 'party vote'
90
Define above the line voting
Option to vote for parties instead of individual candidates on the Senate ballot paper
91
Define below the line voting
Option to vote for individual candidates in a preference order on a senate ballot paper
92
In the Senate, where does the 'balance of power' usually fall?
To minor parties and indpendent Senators
93
Explain how GTV worked before 2016
If an elector voted above the line, they would only select one party so when their vote had to be redistributed to other parties their first preference party would decide the electors preferences
94
Identify the current voting system used in the Senate
Proportional voting
95
Define electoral compromise
A combination of multiple electoral systems to create an 'ideal' electoral system
96
Example of an electoral compromise in Australia
The House of Representatives uses preferential voting to achieve a majority government, while the Senate uses proportional voting to create more diversity and representation
97
Identify the current voting system used the House of Representatives
Preferential voting (majoritarian)
98
Define the term franchise
The right to vote
99
What is meant by the term compulsory voting?
Refers to the mandatory enrollment of eligble electors. Everyone over 18 years of age must vote unless given a legal reason to not - this law has been enshrined in Australia since 1911.
100
Name 5 advantages and 2 disadvantages of compulsory voting
+:Enhanced voter engagement, better informed citizenry, strengthing democratic principles, increased legitimacy + authority, mitigation of extremist influences
-:Impact of disinterested electors, freedom concerns
101
What must employees of the AEC follow?
Must be politically nuetral (no connection to any party)
102
What is the purpose of the WAEC?
To perform state and local elections, and referendums (federal)
102
What is the name of WA's version of the AEC?
Western Australian Electoral Commision
103
Define 'one vote, one value'
An elector is alwas only worth the same as everyone else. This does not change for any reason.
104
Define Malapportionment
When the number of votes in an electorate are inconsistent with the number of voters in other electorates, outside an acceptable margin of difference
105
By how much does TAS have malapportionment to NSW?
14x
