electoral systems

• 'First past the post' is an example of a majoritarian system
• what are the roles/functions of elections?

  • they are a device for ensuring that the will of the majority is made clear
  • they confer legitimacy on government and politicians
  • they help form governments
  • they provide a choice of political program in their manifesto
  • they are a means of way citizens can actively participate
  • they provide representation
  • way of holding the government to account
• what is an electoral mandate? 


  it refers to the authority extended to the winning party of an election. I t grants permission to act or produce legislation offered in the manifesto
• what are the arguments that elections promote democracy?

  • they educate the public
  • they encourage participation
  • they offer the electorate choice
  • they ensure peaceful changeover of power
  • they are the ultimate expression of popular will
• what are the arguments that elections limit democracy?

  • they can fail to educate - instead misinform them
  • they are a form of indirect democracy so take decision making away from the people
  • elections do not indicate what part of a manifesto the voters approve
  • there aren't enough differences between major parties
• where is FPTP used?

  it is used to elect the westminster parliament. It is also used for local government in England and Wales.
• what is a plurality electoral system? 


  it is a system where each voter can only vote for one candidate - the candidate who achieves the most votes wins
• what is a safe seat?


  it is a seat which is regarded as very secure by a party.
• what is an example of a safe seat?

  Liverpool Walton in 2017 - Labour got 85.7% of the vote
• what is a marginal seat?

  a seat held by a very short lead
• what is an example of a marginal seat?

  North East Fife was won by SNP in 2017 by only 2 votes
• what are the advantages of FPTP?

  • it creates stable and strong governments
  • it means that MPs have close relationships with their constituents
  • the candidate who most people prefer wins the seat
  • it is easy to operate and understand
  • it is quick to produce a result - Newcastle central declared a result 60 minutes after polls closed in 2017
  • keeps out small, extremist parties
• what are the disadvantages of FPTP?

  • it discriminates in favour of the two main parties
  • votes are wasted on losing candidates - not everyone's vote is worth the same
  • other systems also offer constituents good local members to represent them
  • most MPs don't achieve 50% of the votes - not representative
  • electronic voting today means ease and speed of FPTP is overrated
  • it discriminates against moderate and small parties - UKIP, Green, and Lib Dem have all suffered at the hands of FPTP
• what is supplementary vote?

  it is a majoritarian election system
• what is a majoritarian electoral system


  it is a system in which candidates must gain a majority of the votes to be elected
• what are the advantages of SV?

  • it encourages moderate campaigning as gaining second-choice votes is important
  • it is a relatively simple system
  • it is the system which could most easily replace FPTP
  • all MPs would have majority support from their voters
  • it reduces tactical voting
  • ensures good MP-constituency links
• what are the disadvantages of SV?

  • it promotes voting for candidates from the main three parties because only 2 parties will make the cut
  • if there are more than 2 strong candidates, they will have to guess who will make the final round otherwise their vote will be wasted
  • voters may need to vote tactically
  • it may mean that not all MPs secure majority vote
• what is AMS?

  it is a proportional electoral system used in the devolved regions of scotland and wales and for the london assembly - it is a hybrid system which combines the FPTP system and the list system
• what is a proportional electoral system? 


  it means the percentage of the votes they get = the percentage of the seats they get - coalition governments are the usual outcome of this system
• what is a list system?

  parties list their candidates in number of importance and depending on the amount of votes they get they are allocated seats.
• what are the advantages of AMS?

  • it is proportional
  • it makes sure each voter has a directly accountable single constituency representative
  • it gives voters a wider choice
  • a coalition government is more likely
• what are the disadvantages of AMS?

  • list members are chosen by the party - less power to the electorate
  • having two different types of representative may create animosity between them
  • it can be complicated - causes confusion
  • small parties are less well represented than they would be in a fully proportional system
• what is STV? 


  the single transferable vote is used in the northern ireland assembly - it is a highly proportional electoral system
• what are the advantages of STV?

  • fewer votes are wasted
  • greater choice
  • offers voters more than one representative to approach
  • there are no safe seats
  • there is no need for tactical voting
  • a coalition government is more likely
• what are the disadvantages of STV?

  • counting the results will take longer
  • it can lead to 'donkey voting' - where voters vote for the candidate in the order they appear on the ballot
  • in MMCs ballot papers can get big and confusing
  • lines of accountability are less clear