AMS

• Additional Member System (AMS)

  • Voting system used in Scottish Parliament elections
  • Has been used at six elections in Scotland so far
• Proportional representation

  Fairly equal link between the percentage of votes a political party wins and the number of MSP's (seats in parliament) they get
• AMS voting

  1. Voters receive two ballot papers

  2. Cast two votes

  3. First ballot paper to elect constituency MSP

  4. Second ballot paper to elect regional MSPs
• Constituency MSPs

  • 73 constituency MSPs elected, one for each constituency
  • The constituency MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley is Willie Coffey (SNP), who has been the MSP since 2007
• Regional MSPs

  • 56 regional MSPs elected, 7 for each of the 8 larger regions of Scotland
  • Second ballot paper uses a mathematical formula to ensure proportional representation
• It is not always a good thing to have one party running a country as another country might do better and get better outcomes
• Minority government

  Winning party does not have a majority of MSPs (more than half of the total number)
• Coalition government

  Two or more political parties form a government together