Electoral Systems Revision
Functions of electoral systems
Elections are used to choose a representative.
Elections are the most important way for citizens to become
involved in politics
Elections area a time where government and elected representative
are held accountable. During campaigns candidate must justify their
party’s policies and decisions
Democracy depends upon the ability for people to have a choice of
representatives
Elections have an educational function in which citizens become
better informed bout key political issue
Elections provide a mandate. The winner in the election is granted
democratic legitimacy, the political authority to carry out the
political programme they have provided.
Type of Definition Elector Where it
system al is used
system
Plurality To win a seat a candidate only FPTP UK general
requires one more vote than any elections
other candidate, meaning no
secure majority is needed
Majoritaria Used to elect a single candite, SV London
n these systems are designed to major
attempt to secure an absolute elections
majority for the winning
candidate
Proportiona A system that attempts to STV Northern
l allocate seats in direct proportion Ireland
to votes cast. As such they area a Scottish
multi-member constituencies local
governmen
t
Hybrid A system that mixes other types AMS Scotland
of system such as a plurality and Wales
proportional system
, First past the post
An electoral system where the person with the highest number of votes is
elected. Victory is achieved by having one more vote than other
candidates
The country is divided into constituencies
Each constituency elected a member of parliament
Voter only have one vote
The winner is the candidate that wins the most votes – plurality
The winner doesn’t require a majority
Safe seat – a constituency where one party is so dominate that it is
unlikely that they will not win the seat in the election
Marginal seat – a constituency where more than one party has a realistic
chance of winning the seat in an election and the outcome is likely to be
close
Winner bonus – FPTP tends to reward those parties whose votes are
highly concentrated with winning just enough seat in each constituency to
win multiple seats. This leads to large unproportionate seat share
compared to the national share of vote
Tactical voting – when voters choose a candidate who might not have
been their preferred choice in order to keep the candidate, they least like
form winning
Advantages of FPTP Disadvantages of FPTP
It usually produces a single clear FPTP does not always guarantee a
winner that can form a majority clear winner with e clear mandate.
government with a clear mandate 2010 coalition with conservative
to govern. 1997 labour 179 seat and lib Dems, 2017 conservative
majority, 2019 conservative 80 and DUP confidence and supply
seat majority, 2024 labour 174 agreement
majority
It produces one single The overall outcome is not
representative for each proportional or fair. Some parties
constituency and creates a clos win more seat than their overall
constituency MP bond. 2019 Jess support warrant while other win
Phillips stood outside a school in fewer seat then they deserve. In
her Birmingham Yardely 2019 the Lib Dems won 12% of the
constituency to defend teacher vote but got just under 2% of the
who tough children about LGBTQ+ seats
relationships
Accountability of the individual MP It means that any voter effectively
is clear to their electorates Several wasted their votes because they
MPs who represented can have no impact on the
constituencies that voted to leave outcome in safe seats. It also
Functions of electoral systems
Elections are used to choose a representative.
Elections are the most important way for citizens to become
involved in politics
Elections area a time where government and elected representative
are held accountable. During campaigns candidate must justify their
party’s policies and decisions
Democracy depends upon the ability for people to have a choice of
representatives
Elections have an educational function in which citizens become
better informed bout key political issue
Elections provide a mandate. The winner in the election is granted
democratic legitimacy, the political authority to carry out the
political programme they have provided.
Type of Definition Elector Where it
system al is used
system
Plurality To win a seat a candidate only FPTP UK general
requires one more vote than any elections
other candidate, meaning no
secure majority is needed
Majoritaria Used to elect a single candite, SV London
n these systems are designed to major
attempt to secure an absolute elections
majority for the winning
candidate
Proportiona A system that attempts to STV Northern
l allocate seats in direct proportion Ireland
to votes cast. As such they area a Scottish
multi-member constituencies local
governmen
t
Hybrid A system that mixes other types AMS Scotland
of system such as a plurality and Wales
proportional system
, First past the post
An electoral system where the person with the highest number of votes is
elected. Victory is achieved by having one more vote than other
candidates
The country is divided into constituencies
Each constituency elected a member of parliament
Voter only have one vote
The winner is the candidate that wins the most votes – plurality
The winner doesn’t require a majority
Safe seat – a constituency where one party is so dominate that it is
unlikely that they will not win the seat in the election
Marginal seat – a constituency where more than one party has a realistic
chance of winning the seat in an election and the outcome is likely to be
close
Winner bonus – FPTP tends to reward those parties whose votes are
highly concentrated with winning just enough seat in each constituency to
win multiple seats. This leads to large unproportionate seat share
compared to the national share of vote
Tactical voting – when voters choose a candidate who might not have
been their preferred choice in order to keep the candidate, they least like
form winning
Advantages of FPTP Disadvantages of FPTP
It usually produces a single clear FPTP does not always guarantee a
winner that can form a majority clear winner with e clear mandate.
government with a clear mandate 2010 coalition with conservative
to govern. 1997 labour 179 seat and lib Dems, 2017 conservative
majority, 2019 conservative 80 and DUP confidence and supply
seat majority, 2024 labour 174 agreement
majority
It produces one single The overall outcome is not
representative for each proportional or fair. Some parties
constituency and creates a clos win more seat than their overall
constituency MP bond. 2019 Jess support warrant while other win
Phillips stood outside a school in fewer seat then they deserve. In
her Birmingham Yardely 2019 the Lib Dems won 12% of the
constituency to defend teacher vote but got just under 2% of the
who tough children about LGBTQ+ seats
relationships
Accountability of the individual MP It means that any voter effectively
is clear to their electorates Several wasted their votes because they
MPs who represented can have no impact on the
constituencies that voted to leave outcome in safe seats. It also
