Chapter 3 - Electoral systems

Question 1

What is the formal title of first past the post?

Answer 1

Plurality in single-member constituencies.

Question 2

How many constituencies are there in the UK?

Answer 2

650

Question 3

What is the average adult population of each constituency?

Answer 3

75,000

Question 4

What is plurality?

Answer 4

When you only need more votes than anyone else to win an election, not an absolute majority.

Question 5

How many MPs won an absolute majority in the 2015 general election?

Answer 5

316

Question 6

What are the five main features of first past the post?

Answer 6

1. There is one MP for each constituency.
2. It is simple.
3. It gives an advantage to parties with concentrated support.
4. It favours large parties.
5. Tends to produce an outright winner.

Question 7

What is a safe seat?

Answer 7

A seat where the same party is virtually guaranteed to win every election.

Question 8

What are the four implications of safe seats?

Answer 8

1. Parties pay little attention to them at election times.
2. MPs in safe seats are held less accountable.
3. Voters may feel their votes are wasted.
4. Votes are of unequal value.

Question 9

How many votes were estimated to be wasted votes in the 2015 general election?

Answer 9

22 million

Question 10

What is a marginal seat?

Answer 10

A constituency where the outcome of an election is unpredictable and changes.

Question 11

What do marginal seats encourage?

Answer 11

Tactical voting, when voters place their votes for their second choice to try and stop another party winning.

Question 12

What are the arguments in favour of retaining first past the post?

Answer 12

• Easy to understand.
• Quick results.
• Close bond between constituency and MP.
• Accountability is clear.
• Promotes strong, stable, decisive government.
• Stood the test of time.

Question 13

What are the arguments against retaining first past the post?

Answer 13

• Outcome is not proportional or fair.
• Leads to wasted votes.
• Votes are of unequal value.
• Encourages tactical voting.
• Hinders new parties.
• Governments are elected without a popular majority.

Question 14

What percentage of the vote did the Conservatives win in 2015, securing them a majority?

Answer 14

36.9%

Question 15

What sort of system is the Additional Member System?

Answer 15

A hybrid system

Question 16

What does AMS combine?

Answer 16

FPTP with proportional representation.

Question 17

Where is AMS used?

Answer 17

Scotland, Wales, and the Greater London Assembly.

Question 18

What is used to calculate the number of seats awarded via party lists in Scotland?

Answer 18

The D’Hondt method.

Question 19

How does the D’Hondt method work?

Answer 19

Parties that do well under the first past the post part of the system in Scotland have their proportion of party list seats adjusted down, while parties that do not do well under FPTP have their party list seats adjusted upwards, making the outcome overall proportionally fairer.

Question 20

What are the four advantages of AMS?

Answer 20

1. Produces a proportional outcome.
2. Gives voters two votes and so more choice.
3. Combines constituency representation with proportionality.
4. Helps small parties.

Question 21

What are the two drawbacks to AMS?

Answer 21

1. Produces two classes of representative, with those elected via party lists being more senior.
2. It is more complex.

Question 22

Who do people vote for under regional list elections?

Answer 22

They vote for parties rather than individuals.

Question 23

Where is Single Transferable Vote used in the UK?

Answer 23

• In Northern Ireland, for all of its elections.
• Local government elections in Scotland.

Question 24

Under STV, how many seats are there per constituency?

Answer 24

6

Question 25

How many candidates can a party put up under the STV system?

Answer 25

6 - as many as there are seats.

Question 26

How do people cast their vote under STV?

Answer 26

They rank the candidates in order of preference from 1-6.

Question 27

Do voters under STV have to vote for candidates from the same party or can they mix?

Answer 27

They can mix and vote for candidates from any party they want to.

Question 28

What does a candidate have to achieve in order to win their seat under STV?

Answer 28

They must reach the electoral quota.

Question 29

How is the electoral quota under STV calculated?

Answer 29

Total number of votes cast divided by 7. For example: If 50,000 votes were cast, the electoral quota would be 50,000 divided by 7 = 7,143.

Question 30

How are candidates elected under STV?

Answer 30

All of the first preferences of the voters are counted; anyone who achieves the electoral quota at this stage is automatically elected. All of the second choice votes of the elected candidate are added to the votes cast for other candidates, and this continues until 6 people have achieved the quota.

Question 31

What does Single Transferable Vote ensure?

Answer 31

That voters 6 most popular candidates overall are elected, producing a highly proportional outcome.

Question 32

What percentage of seats did the Democratic Unionists win in the 2016 NI Assembly elections?

Answer 32

35.2%

Question 33

What percentage of first preference votes did the DUP win in the 2016 NI Assembly elections?

Answer 33

29.2%

Question 34

What are the 5 advantages of Single Transferable Vote?

Answer 34

1. Proportional outcome. 2. Wide choice of candidates. 3. Show a preference between candidates of the same party. 4. Helps small parties and independents. 5. Voters' second and subsequent choices are taken into consideration.

Question 35

What are the 4 drawbacks of Single Transferable Vote?

Answer 35

1. It is complex. 2. Vote counting is complicated and takes a long time. 3. Helps extremist candidates. 4. Accountability is not clear as there are 6 representatives.

Question 36

What is the Supplementary Vote system designed to do?

Answer 36

Produce a single winner that can claim an overall majority of support.

Question 37

When is the Supplementary Vote system used in the UK?

Answer 37

To elect city mayors or PCCs.

Question 38

How many votes do people cast under the Supplementary Vote system?

Answer 38

2

Question 39

How does the Supplementary Vote system work?

Answer 39

* Everyone gets 2 votes: a first a second choice. * If a candidate receives 50% of the first choice votes then they are automatically elected. * If this does not happen the top 2 candidates go into a second round of counting and all other candidates drop out. * The second-choice votes of the candidates that dropped out are added to the 2 remaining candidates and an overall winner is produced.

Question 40

What percentage of the vote did Sadiq Khan get in the first round of voting for the 2016 London Mayor election?

Answer 40

44.2% - as he did not get 50% the election went to a second round of counting.

Question 41

What percentage of the vote did Sadiq Khan get after the second round of counting in the 2016 London Mayor election?

Answer 41

56.8% - he beat Zac Goldsmith.

Question 42

What are the 3 advantages of the Supplementary Vote system?

Answer 42

1. The winning candidate has an overall majority. 2. Simple to understand. 3. Voters have 2 choices and they are important.

Question 43

What is the drawback of the Supplementary Vote system?

Answer 43

A winning candidate may not enjoy first-choice support and win on second choices.

Question 44

Why are there so many different electoral systems used across the UK?

Answer 44

To try and produce a party system that is most desirable in each context.

Question 45

Why was STV decided on for Northern Ireland?

Answer 45

To provide all sections of a divided community with representation.

Question 46

What type of system is FPTP?

Answer 46

Plurality

Question 47

What type of system is Additional Member System?

Answer 47

Hybrid

Question 48

What type of system is Single Transferable Vote?

Answer 48

Proportional

Question 49

What type of system is Supplementary Vote?

Answer 49

Majority

Question 50

Where is AMS used?

Answer 50

* Scottish parliamentary elections * Welsh Assembly elections * Greater London Assembly

Question 51

When did the British people reject the Alternative Vote system?

Answer 51

In a referendum in 2011

Question 52

Why does the decisive rejection of AV in 2011 not mean there is not desire for electoral reform?

Answer 52

* Many people voted against AV to punish the unpopular Lib Dems. * Not many people understood AV. * The conservatives did not support the referendum.

Question 53

Where is there not a two-party system?

Answer 53

In the devolved regions