STV

• A proportional system used for NI Assembly and Scottish council
• There are 6 seats for each constituency but parties usually put up only 4.
• The voter can vote across parties, and put the candidates in preference order
• First vote is cast and candidates who reach quota are elected in. Last candidiate is eliminated and second preferences added. Then, if an individual reaches second quota they are elected. This process continues until all 6 are elected
• Droop quota = (total votes/seats +1) + 1
• Proportional system - 2012 - DUP in the first count won 28% of votes, 28 seats and 31% of seats
• Advantage - has worked where used
• Advantage - voters can vote for different parties, improving plurality. More voter choice than in FPTP
• Advantage - a lot of choice, improving political participation and turnout
• Adavntage - a lot of choice, smaller parties and independents given more chance of being elected than in FPTP, creating a more pluralistic society and reducing apathy about the political process
• Advantage - broadly proportional, more than FPTP
• Advantage - avoids wasted votes not like FPTP
• Disadvantage - no local representatives so weaker constituency links than in FPTP, SV and AMS, so could lessen participation
• Disadvantage - can help extremist parties break through, unlike SV and FPTP
• Disadvantage - likley to form multi-party governments and has multi-member constituencies, not a strong single-party government like SV and FPTP are more likely to achieve
• Disadvantage - 6 representatives so accountability is not clear not like FPTP which has clear MP + constituency links
• Disadvantage - more complex than FPTP so may discourage turnout and make the vote count take longer