ECL Topic 3 - Electoral Systems

Question 1

Functions of an electoral system

Answer 1

• ensure a fair representation of geographical areas
• ensure a fair representation of different opinions
• elect a team of leaders who can form a government
• remove current team of leaders

Question 2

Different electoral systems

Answer 2

Majoritarian - 50%+1 to win (either percentage of votes for a seat, or number of seats needed to form a government) - likely to produce 2 party system
Plurality - having more votes than anyone else, no outright majority required to win a seat - likely to produce 2 party system
Proportional - allocates seats roughy in line with the percentage of votes gained by a party - likely to produce multi-party system

Question 3

Fixed-term Parliaments Act and elections

Answer 3

Passed in 2011 stating UK elections should occur every 5 years - allowed a snap election to be called if voted for by 2/3 of MPs
Effectively overturned by Conservatives Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill in 2022

Question 4

Consider percentages/stats

FPTP - how it works

Answer 4

• only need more seats than the person in second - ‘winner takes all’
  eg 2019, 12 seats won with less than 1% of margin
• seats don’t represent votes eg 2024, Labour 63.2% of seats, 33.7% of vote
• safe seats vs marginal seats - split voter loyalty

Question 5

FPTP - key features

Answer 5

• stable government - direct link between voters and Parliament
• wasted votes - reduces incentive to vote
• focus on marginal seats - “target seats”
• used in general elections and mayoral elections

Question 6

6/6

FPTP - advantages and disadvantages

Answer 6

Advantages
- simple/comprehensive
- clear outcome
- strong, stable government
- responsible government
- effective representation
- keeps out extremist parties
Disadvantages
- disproportionate outcomes
- electoral ‘deserts’ for some parties
- plurality rather than majority support - no need for majority
- votes of unequal value
- limited choice
- divisive politics - long periods of one party rule eg Conservatives 1979-1997

Question 7

Supplementary vote - how it works

Answer 7

• voters cast first and second preference
• if no candidate receives 50% of vote, all candidates except the top 2 drop out, and then ballots with first preferences other than the top 2 have their second preferences counted

Question 8

Supplementary vote - key features

Answer 8

• majority
• likely to result in two party system and strong single-party government
• rejected ballots
• more choice
• candidates must persuade voters outside of party loyalty
• previously used to elect the London mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner

Question 9

3/4

Supplementary vote - advantages and disadvantages

Answer 9

Advantages
- winning candidate must achieve broad support - legitimate, strong and stable
- supporters of smaller parties can use their first preference to express their allegiance
- people who use both their first and second preference to support minor parties have limited influence, reducing extremism
Disadvantages
- winning candidate may be elected without winning a majority if second preference votes aren’t used effectively
- winning candidate doesn’t need a majority of first preference votes therefore not proportional
- system wouldn’t deliver proportional outcome if used for general elections
- encourages tactical voting

Question 10

Single transferable vote - how it works

Answer 10

• voters rank candidates in order of preference, best to worst - ordinal voting
• second preferences transferred to candidates if either the number of first preference votes for their candidate passes a certain threshold, resulting in candidate election, or if their preferred candidate receives the lowest number of first preference votes, resulting in candidate elimination
• candidates must achieve Droop quota for election - any votes achieved over this are redistributed until all seats are filled

Question 11

Single transferable vote - key features

Answer 11

• likely to result in a multi-party system and produce a coalition - highly proportional therefore outright majority unlikely
• parties must work together after an election to work out a system of government
• high number of rejected votes
• alphabetical/donkey voting, subconscious pattern
• used in NI assembly elections (born of 1998 Good Friday Agreement), Scotland local elections, and Ireland General elections

Question 12

4/4

Single transferable vote - advantages and disadvantages

Answer 12

Advantages
- delivers proportional outcomes, with votes of equal value
- government likely to consist of party/parties that win over 50% of vote
- voters choose between a range of candidates - greater choice
- more representative of ideologies/beliefs
Disadvantages
- less accurate in translating votes into seats
- large multi-member constituencies weaken link between MP and constituents
- likely to produce coalition - may be unstable due to disproportional influence to smaller parties
- complex/hard to understand - may discourage participation

Question 13

Additional member system - how it works

Answer 13

• each voter has two ballot papers - first list is of candidates to be elected via FPTP (constituency vote), and the second of a party list, whereby parties gain additional candidates on a PR basis (regional vote)

Question 14

Additional member system - key features

Answer 14

• likely to result in multi-party system, can often lead to a coalition government, as it can be difficult for one party to gain an outright majority
• split-ticket voting - cast two votes for different parties
• used to elect Scottish Parliament, Senedd, and London Assembly

Question 15

7/5

Additional member system - advantages and disadvantages

Answer 15

Advantages
- combines best of FPTP and PR eg balancing constituency representation with fairness of outcome
- results proportional
- votes unlikely to be wasted
- voters have a greater choice
- some parties use system to improve female/BAME representation
- system easily understood
- gov has broad popularity
Disadvantages
- two categories of representative - one with constituency links, one without - creates tensions
- parties have significant control over closed lists - voters can’t choose between candidates from the same party
- smaller parties often underrepresented
- proportional outcomes less likely when number of additional members is low eg Senedd
- confusing for voters

Question 16

Impact of electoral systems on government

Answer 16

• proportional systems have led to more coalitions eg Scotland and Wales have also had majority governments
• AMS has led to more workable systems in Scotland and Wales, as well as more devolved powers
• In Scotland, AMS has led to more calls for independence due to greater power/success of SNP

Question 17

Impact of electoral systems on parties

Answer 17

• in devolved regions where hybrid/PR systems have been used, smaller parties have been better represented eg Sinn Fein, Plaid Cymru, SNP
• Conservatives/Labour have performed worse eg in Scotland
• could be argued smaller parties have had too much representation
• can have multi-party systems existing

Question 18

Impact of electoral systems on voters

Answer 18

• different electoral systems can eliminate wasted votes, tactical voting, safe seats etc however turnout can still be low
• greater voter choice apart from under SV, where it is still a two-horse race

Question 19

Criteria for best electoral system

Answer 19

• fairness of outcome - proportional, do people get what they voted for
• choice of candidates - good selection
• MP-constituent link - representation of local issues
• Strength of government
• Accountability of government - challenged/deliver on manifesto promises

Question 20

Referendums - criteria by Electoral Commission

Answer 20

• plain language
• simple to understand
• neutral language
• binary answer

Question 21

Cunningham Amendment

Answer 21

• 1979, referendum held to give more power to Scotland
• MP Cunningham changed the rules to mean that, in order for a change to be enacted, 40% of the electorate needed to have voted yes for it to count
• never applied

Question 22

Turnout and result

Key referendum examples since 1997

Answer 22

• NI 1998, Good Friday Agreement - turnout 81%, 61.7(62)% yes
• AV referendum 2011 - turnout 42%, 67.9(68)% no
• Scottish Independence 2014 - turnout 84.5(85)%, 55.3(55)% no
• Brexit 2016 - turnout 72.2(72)%, 51.9(52)% yes

Question 23

7

Advantages of referendums

Answer 23

• genuine form of democracy
• clear mandate - direct say on a single issue, useful to resolve divisive issues eg Good Friday Agreement
• can resolve inner party issues which can threaten to bring down a government eg EEC membership 1975, Brexit
• can entrench certain reforms making it difficult for future governments to undo them
• encourage political participation in between elections - greater voter education due to widespread media coverage eg 2014 Scottish Independence, 75% 16/17 year olds voted
• conducted fairly as a result of the creation of the Electoral Commission - designates lead campaign groups for both sides of the argument, meaning there’s good voter education, fairness/lack of bias
• votes of equal value

Question 24

8

Disadvantages of referendums

Answer 24

• turnout often extremely low - can actively lower turnout due to voter fatigue eg Greater London Authority 1998, turnout 34%
• even a clear outcome can fail to settle a controversial issue eg Scottish Independence, 45% voted for, therefore won’t stop campaigning
• many political issues more complicated than a yes/no issue
• government can influence timing and question to their advantage eg Labour 2005 avoided a promised referendum on EU constitution due to negative outcomes overseas - became Lisbon Treaty
• referendums can become opinion polls on governmental performance eg AV vote to punish LibDems
• better to leave political issues to elected representatives - vote in national interest eg taxes vs public services
• can lead to tyranny of the majority - elected representatives more likely to consider the minorities they represent
• referendums can be very expensive eg AV = £75 million