Electoral Systems

• FPTP (first-past-the-post)


  an electoral system in which the candidate who has more votes than any other candidate wins
• plurality system


  an electoral system in which the winner is the person who gets the most votes, even if he or she does not receive a majority
• majority system


  The election system in which the winner get more than 50% of the votes (50% + 1).
• safe seats (fptp)


  a constituency where the result at elections is not in doubt because one party invariably wins it
• marginal seats (fptp)


  a constituency where the result of an election is usually in doubt
• FPTP benefits


  Produces "strong governemnt"

  however not the case in 2010 and 2017
• Winners bonus (features of FPTP)

  FPTP exaggerates the performance of the most popular party resulting in more seats. Labour won by a landslide in 1997.
• Tactical voting


  Voting for the candidate most likely to defeat the voter's least favoured candidate.
• Advantages of FPTP


  1. Usually clear majority gov.t

  e.g 2019 get brexit done

  2. one single representative for each constituency e.g Jess phillips / Layla Morgan

  3. MP accountability - MPs voted leave lost seat after campaigning for second referendum

  4. prevents extremist parties e.g BNP won half a million votes in 2010 but no seats

  5. reflects regional difference (SNP/ Sinn Fein)

  6. Simple choice
• 2019 election results


  con =365 seats

  74 seat majoirty
• Jess Phillips


  stood outside a school in her Birmingham Yardley constitution to defend teachers teaching LGBTQ+ relationships
• Layla morgan


  Layla Moran, Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and Abingdon,

  Fighting against aws that discriminate homeless from Vagrancy Act
• FPTP disadvantages


  Disproportionate (share of seats won isn't proportionate to share of votes won)= Ukip =13% vote only one seat and SNP 4% vote but 48 seats in 2019

  Minority govt (govts elected after winning a minority of votes) = 2010 coalition and DUP deal

  Smaller parties lose out (their votes are spread thinly and aren't concentrated)

  Wasted votes (many votes don't have an impact on outcome) in safe seats e.g Liverpool Walton LAB won 85% vote

  Lack of choice (two party contest and voters can't choose between candidates from the same party)
• tactical voting example


  Electoral reform estimated 6.5million voters engaged with tactical voting in 2017 election
• Lost votes example


  Electoral reform society estimated that almost 3/4 of votes in 2015 were surplus or to losing candidates
• hung parliament (UK)


  A situation after an election when no single party comprises a majority in the Commons.
• coalition government


  When two or more parties join together to form a majority in a national legislature. This form of government is quite common in the multiparty systems of Europe.
• 2010-2015 Coalition Government ( the quad)


  Nick Clegg, David Cameron george osbourne and danny alexander
• supplementary voting ( majority system)

  . Each voter gets two votes ranked in preference

  if not absolute majority then second preferences are counted

  . In second round all but leading two are eliminated and second preference votes for eliminated candidates are used
• SV when used

  London mayor elections
• London mayoral elections 2021


  SADIQ KHAN (labour)= 40% of vote after first counting then 55% after second

  Shaun Bailey (con) = 35% after first then 45% after second
• Outcomes of SV


  1. less wasted votes

  2.still two horse/party race

  3. Alliances are critical e.g Sadiq promised 2nd pref from green voters if environmentally friendly

  4. BNP won 13,000 votes in 2016 but extremism has little success under sv

  5. least hated candidate wins
• Advantages of Sv


  . winner has overallmajoirty

  . Simple

  . Less wasted votes
• Disadvantage of SV


  . two party system

  . may win on second choices even if first was lower

  . can have wasted votes
• Additional Member System


  A hybrid system that has the benefits of both FPTP and proportional systems. The electorate is able to vote for both parties and candidates- leads to two tier politicians. Used in Scotland and Wales devolved elections.
• Outcomes of AMS


  . roughly proportional

  . Ams stops large majority of seats e.g minority gov.t in scotland and labour coalition in wales

  . small parties win seats e.g UKIP 2016 first two seats in Welsh Senedd

  . Two types of representative : constituency and party list

  . Party list take on leadership roles easily as they don't deal with constituents

  . Coalitions are usually stable

  . Minority of voters split their ticket by voting for one party in constitiuency vote but another for the party vote
• adv. of AMS


  Introduces broadly proportional system

  More choice as two votes

  Combines the preservation of constituency representation with a proportional outcome
• Dis. of AMS


  . Two classes of representative - lists are more senior

  . More complex so confusing

  . Election of extremist candidates

  . more likely to have minority or coalition gov.t
• Single Transferable Vote (STV)


  This system allows voters to rank their voting preferences in numerical order rather than simply having one voting choice. In order to obtain a seat, a candidate must obtain a quota. After the votes are cast, those with the least votes are eliminated and their votes transferred and those candidates with excess votes above the quota also have their votes transferred.
• Where is STV used?

  Scottish Local Council, Northern Ireland Assembly
• Outcome of STV


  . Proportional result

  . Multi party system

  . Encourages power sharing- useful in divided communities e.g NI

  . Can cause gridlock e.g sinn Fein and DUP in 2017 and 2020

  . STV broken links between single representative and their constituents

  . confuses voters
• Adv of STV


  . Simple choice

  . broadly proportional

  . Wide choice of candidates

  . few wasted votes

  .likely to be represented by someone they like
• disadvantages of STV


  -Leads to many coalitions

  -Takes a lot of time to process the votes

  -Can help candidates with extremist views rise easily

  -with multiple candidates, lines of accountability not clear

  -Complex so difficult for everyone to understand
• Who uses london mayoral elections

  SV
• Who uses STV?


  NI assembly and scottish local elections
• Who uses AMS?


  Scottish and welsh parliamentary and Greater London authortiy elections
• What sort of party system is normally associated with first-past-the-post

  voting?

  Dominant
• Party system associated with SV

  London mayoral
• AMS party system promoted

  domiannt (SNP) or three party
• STV


  Multi party