Additional Member System

• The Additional Member System is used to elect the Scottish Parliament (MSPs).
• The Additional Member System is a hybrid system with elements of First Past The Post and Proportional Representation.
• Proportional Representation is an umbrella term for electoral systems in which parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them.
• The Additional Member System elects 129 MSPs (seats) to the Scottish Parliament.
• In the Additional Member System, voters get two votes: one for the region and one for the constituency.
• The Additional Member System provides a much fairer result than FPTP, for example, in 2019, Conservatives won 24% of seats with 24% of votes.
• The Additional Member System provides fair representation because it provides a result which is more proportional as the percentage of votes for a party more accurately represents the percentage of seats gained.
• In the 2021 Scottish Election, the Green Party was able to acquire representation by securing eight seats through the regional list vote which was two more than they gained in the 2016 Scottish Election.
• In the 2021 Scottish Election, the Scottish National Party secured 64 seats from a possible 122 as they won just under 48% of the votes cast which resulted in them winning just under half of the seats available.
• The Additional Member System provides fair representation because it is designed to prevent a single party commanding an outright majority which results in a minority or coalition.
• Despite commanding a majority in 2011, the Scottish National Party lost six seats in the 2016 Scottish Election and as a result formed a minority government.
• The second vote using the party list system in the Additional Member System makes the result in each region more fairly reflect each political party's electoral support.
• A system which allows smaller parties to experience success results in a larger diversity of ideas and opinions being conveyed in parliament which achieves fairer representation.
• The party list vote used to elect regional MSPs in the Additional Member System ensures a more fair and balanced outcome.
• The result of the 2021 Scottish Election will closely reflect the wishes of the electorate which ensures fairness and inspires confidence in the system.
• The Additional Member System provides fair representation as it enables smaller parties to experience a greater chance of success by securing seats in the Scottish Parliament due to the regional party list vote.
• A minority government encourages parties to cooperate and compromise in order to pass legislation which results in decisions reflecting a wider range of views.
• As AMS is a hybrid system it requires voters to fill in two ballot papers with voters choosing a candidate for their constituency and then selecting a party for their region.
• With AMS people pick a political party with their second vote but the party itself decides which order it wants to rank its prospective candidates for the regional vote.
• Voter turnout for the Scottish Parliament Election was only 55% in 2016 and increased to 63% in the 2021 Scottish Election.
• AMS can award significant power to smaller parties which is reinforced by the current power sharing agreement in the Scottish Parliament with people concerned that the Greens may demand changes from the Scottish Government that most SNP supporters don’t agree with.
• If no one party wins a majority in parliament they can be at the mercy of other parties.
• The electoral system may put people off participating as they do not fully understand how their vote works but more importantly, how their vote counts.
• A complicated formula is used to calculate the results of the Scottish Parliament Election which may put voters off voting.
• When a party fails to secure a majority in the Scottish Parliament it can make it very difficult for the largest party to pass legislation and budgets without compromising with other parties.
• In the past, the SNP have been unable to pass its budgets without the support of the Green Party who only secured six seats in 2016 and eight seats in 2021.
• There are no by-elections for the regions so if an MSP leaves then the party they belong to have the power to pick their replacement.
• AMS would appear to be a fair and balanced election system as it achieves greater levels of proportionality.