electoral systems

• additional member system (AMS)


  gives the voter two independent votes to cast

  used in Scottish and Welsh parliament
• AMS


  how it works : you are presented with two different ballots they cast their vote with a simple X

  In the constituency vote they are voting for a person

  In the regional vote they are voting for a party

  They don't need to vote for the same party on both
• AMS - constituency vote

  Works the exact same as FPTP

  Each constituency elects a single representative on a plurality 'winner takes all' basis
• AMS - regional vote

  Works more proportionally and aims to correct FPTP

  Each party running for election draw up a list of candidates for each region, ranking them in the order they'll be elected
• AMS - d'Hondt formula


  to decide who gets the seats they use the d'hondt formula

  (number of regional votes gained for a given party) ÷ (number of seats a party has gained at a constituency level +1)

  once this formula is completed for each party, the first seat is allocated to the party with the largest number resulting from the equation

  This process is repeated until all seats in a region are allocated

  The party give the seats to the corresponding candidates from the regional list
• AMS - advantages

  • proportional result - more parties get a chance of being represented
  • split ticket voting - more choice with two votes to cast
  • a government with broad popularity - in order to form a single-party government they must have broad popularity
  • greater representation - areas represented by a constituency and regional representative
  • MP-constituency link
• AMS - disadvantages

  • more complicated - the process of voting is simple but what happens after is not putting off voters
  • unlikely single-party government - coalitions likely weakening government mandate
  • different types of representatives - creates two tiers of representatives blurring accountability and creating confusion
  • party control - in regional vote party control the order of candidates
• Single transferrable vote - STV

  allows ordinal voting in which voters rank candidates in order of preference

  used in NI
• STV - how it works

  Example

  Northern Ireland is split into multi-member regions each with 6 representatives to send to the NIA

  ballot paper shows all the candidates running in their region (this may mean multiple candidates from the same party)

  you cast the ballot by numbering candidates 1,2,3 and so on ranking as little or as many as they wish
• STV - how do you win

  in order to win a candidate must achieve the 'droop quota'

  ((total number of valid votes cast in a region +1) ÷ (number of seats available in a region +1))+1

  candidates who achieve this will automatically get a seat

  any votes over this are redistributed according to 2nd preference

  if there are any more candidates who have got the droop quota they are also given a seat

  if there are seats remaining and no one has got the quota the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes distributed until all seats are filled
• STV - advantages

  • proportional result - increasing legitimacy of the result
  • voter choice - choice between parties and candidate in the party
• STV - disadvantages

  • more complicated - process of voting is simple what happens next isn't
  • unlikely single-party government - coalition is likely meaning weaker government