elections

• Has a number of functions -> participation, representation, choosing representatives and government, influencing policy and legitimising political power
• Participation - educates public about key issues
• Participation - low turnout can delegitimise the elected government
• Participation - key way people hold the government to account and participate in politics, not ephemereal like 'Clicktivisim'
• Choosing government - public chooses based on mandate and beliefs; rational choice theory + class and partisan dealignment
• Influence over policy - manifesto must be judged by the electorate
• Influence over policy - can be held accountable for policy and voted out
• Legitimising political power - "Government by Consent" as Locke says
• Legitimising political power - mandate for government legislation
• Legitimising political power - high voter turnout can legitimise the government like in 1992 - 77% or 1997 - 71%
• Legitimising political power - must have competing parties to make a legitimate vote
• Representation - must have a number of parties with a realistic chance of election
• Choosing representatives - campaign can be on personal beliefs/issues
• Choosing representatives - should have a range of parties to choose from
• Scotland Parliament - every five years, AMS, last one was in 2021
• Welsh Assembly - every five years, AMS, last one was in 2021
• Local elections - every four years, FPTP, last one was in 2019
• UK Parliament - every five years, FPTP, last one was in 2022
• Northern Ireland Assembly - every five years, STV, last one was in 2022
• London Assembly - every four years, SV, last one was in 2021
• London Mayor - every four years, SV, last one was in 2021
• Police and Crime Commissioner - every four years, SV, last one was in 2021
• Accountability - 2005 Labour voted out because of Blair controversies
• Reasons for different electoral systems - Each system is desirable in different contexts e.g. STV is used in NI to reflect the highly divided community
• Reasons for different electoral systems - Scotland had concerns that English politicans would dominate under FPTP. Worked in Scotland, SNP is dominant but in Wales Labour is the dominant party
• Reasons for different electoral systems - satisfy the manifesto commitment of electoral reform under Blair’s 1997 government to modernise government