Types of Elections Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is Proportional Representation?
An electoral system where the distribution of seats corresponds closely with the proportion of votes cast for each party.
This system aims to ensure that parties gain seats in direct correlation to their share of the vote.
Define Majoritarian Representation.
An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes takes each seat using the winner-takes-all principle.
This system often leads to a concentration of power in a few dominant parties.
What is the primary function of elections?
To choose a representative to speak on behalf of the community.
This involves different models, such as Trustee and Delegate, which approach representation differently.
How do elections help in choosing the government?
They allow voters to choose a government and grant it legitimacy.
This is essential for the functioning of democratic systems.
What role do elections play in holding a government to account?
Governments must renew their mandate to govern, usually every 4 or 5 years.
This process ensures that elected officials remain answerable to the electorate.
What is the significance of participation in elections?
Voting is the most obvious way ordinary people can take part in politics and have a say in how their country is run.
This participation is crucial for a functioning democracy.
How can elections influence policy?
Voters have limited influence over policies but can send messages to parties through election outcomes.
Election defeats can indicate dissatisfaction with unpopular policies.
List some disadvantages of the First Past the Post electoral system.
- MPs and governments can be elected on less than 50% of the vote
- Lack of proportionality
- Winner’s bonus
- Limited voter choice
- Votes are of unequal value
These disadvantages can lead to significant disparities between the popular vote and the actual representation.
What are some advantages of the First Past the Post electoral system?
- Speed of results
- Simplicity
- Tends to produce strong and stable governments
- Exclusion of extremists
These features contribute to its continued use in various electoral contexts.
What is the Additional Member System?
An electoral system that combines First Past the Post with a proportional element.
This system aims to balance the benefits of both majoritarian and proportional representation.
What are the advantages of the Additional Member System?
- Introduces a proportional element
- Maintains a strong link between the member and constituency
- Wider choice for electors
This system allows voters to express preferences across different parties.
Identify the disadvantages of the Additional Member System.
- Creates two different types of member
- Closed list system
- Smaller parties achieve less representation
- Complexity of D’Hondt method
These factors can complicate the electoral process and affect representation.
What is the Single Transferable Vote?
An electoral system that allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference.
This system is often used in multi-member constituencies.
What are the advantages of the Single Transferable Vote?
- Close correlation between vote% and seat%
- High voter choice
- Enables power-sharing governments
This system promotes cooperation among different political groups.
List the disadvantages of the Single Transferable Vote.
- Complexity
- Not fully proportional
- Weak link between member and voters in large constituencies
- Prone to conflict in power-sharing governments
These issues can undermine the effectiveness of the system.
What is the Supplementary Vote?
An electoral system that allows voters to express a first and second preference for candidates.
This system is designed to ensure that the winner has broad support.
What are the advantages of the Supplementary Vote?
- Ensures broad support for the winner
- Simple and straightforward to use
- Provides opportunities for independent candidates
These aspects enhance the democratic process by allowing a wider range of candidates.
Identify the disadvantages of the Supplementary Vote.
- Not fully proportional
- Winner does not need absolute majority of first preference votes
- Voters must identify likely top candidates
These factors can limit the effectiveness of the system.
What impact do electoral systems have on coalition governments?
Proportional systems have resulted in coalition and minority governments becoming commonplace in devolved administrations.
This contrasts with the single-party rule often seen at Westminster.
How do electoral systems affect the politics of compromise?
Negotiations between political parties have become the normal way business is conducted in devolved administrations.
This collaborative approach contrasts with the more adversarial style seen in Westminster.
What is the effect of electoral systems on policy-making in devolved governments?
Sub-national governments have used their devolved powers to differentiate policies from Westminster.
This has led to variations in areas like welfare across the UK.
How do electoral systems affect party representation?
Proportional systems assist smaller parties with concentrated support, while those with dispersed bases struggle for representation.
This can lead to significant inequalities in political representation.
What is the effect of electoral systems on voter choice?
AMS, SV, and STV provide voters with more choices than FPTP, resulting in fewer wasted votes.
This enhances the potential for voters to select winning candidates.
