Electoral Systems
1. How does the system work?
2. Where is the system used?
3. Advantages and disadvantages
First past the post - used in UK general elections
- Voters cast a single vote by placing a cross next to the name of their preferred candidate
- The votes are counted for each candidate and the candidate with the most votes is elected
- The winner does not require a majority and the party with the largest amount of votes have a right to
form a government
Used for general elections - happen every 5 years (2011 Fixed Term Parliaments Act)
Advantages Disadvantages
- Easy to use + quick - Government is rapidly - MPs and government can be elected on
formed after polling day, 2011 AV referendum - 68% less than 50% (a majority) - Can win seat if
remained in favour of FPTP they have at least more than one vote from
second place thus majority against but still win
- Provides a strong stable government - provides e.g: Alasdair Mcdonnel won 25.5% of the vote
a two-party system and a clear majority with a clear yet represented Belfast South
mandate for the winning government - less chance of
a coalition government that could be unstable - Limited voter choice - Each party puts a
E.g: a clear mandate allowed Thatcher to carry candidate forward, the candidate may already
out her plans for the reduction of power for trade have a large amount of safe seats thus other
unions and privatisation as well as allowing Blair to voters do not see the point in voting leading to
carry out constitutional reforms a depressed voter turnout
E.g: run up to the 2015 election - the Electoral
- Extremists cannot influence policy - Reform society established that 364 seats
underrepresents smaller parties, removing influence were safe seats - 56%
of smaller parties With only two main parties in the actual run,
voters may resort to tactical voting to stop the
- A strong link with the electorate and MPs - party they disagree with most from winning
voted in due to their campaign thus can carry out
what their constituency wants and can be held - Votes can be wasted if votes go to losing
accountable in next election candidates or go to the winning candidate -
excess votes
- Candidate with the most votes wins the seat - E.g: Electoral Reform society calculated 74.4%
easy to understand of votes in 2015 were wasted, 71.1% in 2010
- Votes can be of unequal value - small
constituency - an MP needs less votes
compared to one of a big constituency
E.g: 9407 votes needed for the constituency of
Shetland compared to 28,591 for the Isle of
Wight
- Lack of proportionality - does not translate
total number of votes into seats instead
depends on winning a constituency
E.g: UKIP won 3.5 million votes in 2015 but
only one seat
Additional Member System (AMS) - Scottish Parliament and Welsh assembly
1. How does the system work?
2. Where is the system used?
3. Advantages and disadvantages
First past the post - used in UK general elections
- Voters cast a single vote by placing a cross next to the name of their preferred candidate
- The votes are counted for each candidate and the candidate with the most votes is elected
- The winner does not require a majority and the party with the largest amount of votes have a right to
form a government
Used for general elections - happen every 5 years (2011 Fixed Term Parliaments Act)
Advantages Disadvantages
- Easy to use + quick - Government is rapidly - MPs and government can be elected on
formed after polling day, 2011 AV referendum - 68% less than 50% (a majority) - Can win seat if
remained in favour of FPTP they have at least more than one vote from
second place thus majority against but still win
- Provides a strong stable government - provides e.g: Alasdair Mcdonnel won 25.5% of the vote
a two-party system and a clear majority with a clear yet represented Belfast South
mandate for the winning government - less chance of
a coalition government that could be unstable - Limited voter choice - Each party puts a
E.g: a clear mandate allowed Thatcher to carry candidate forward, the candidate may already
out her plans for the reduction of power for trade have a large amount of safe seats thus other
unions and privatisation as well as allowing Blair to voters do not see the point in voting leading to
carry out constitutional reforms a depressed voter turnout
E.g: run up to the 2015 election - the Electoral
- Extremists cannot influence policy - Reform society established that 364 seats
underrepresents smaller parties, removing influence were safe seats - 56%
of smaller parties With only two main parties in the actual run,
voters may resort to tactical voting to stop the
- A strong link with the electorate and MPs - party they disagree with most from winning
voted in due to their campaign thus can carry out
what their constituency wants and can be held - Votes can be wasted if votes go to losing
accountable in next election candidates or go to the winning candidate -
excess votes
- Candidate with the most votes wins the seat - E.g: Electoral Reform society calculated 74.4%
easy to understand of votes in 2015 were wasted, 71.1% in 2010
- Votes can be of unequal value - small
constituency - an MP needs less votes
compared to one of a big constituency
E.g: 9407 votes needed for the constituency of
Shetland compared to 28,591 for the Isle of
Wight
- Lack of proportionality - does not translate
total number of votes into seats instead
depends on winning a constituency
E.g: UKIP won 3.5 million votes in 2015 but
only one seat
Additional Member System (AMS) - Scottish Parliament and Welsh assembly
