Post on 05-Dec-2014
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VOTING SYSTEMS – PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
What is Proportional Representation? • All PR systems work on the basis that
the number of seats won by a party should (roughly) be in proportion to the number of votes they have gained.
• There are different PR systems that are used in different elections.
ADDITIONAL MEMBERS SYSTEMAMS is an attempt to bring FPTP and PR together.
Constituency MSP’s are elected using FPTP whilst Regional MSP’s are elected using party list.
73 Constituencie
s. Vote once for a candidate - person with
the most votes wins (FPTP).
8 Regions which elect 7 MSPs.
Vote for a Party. 7 MSPs are
elected by the proportion of
votes that their party has won (Party List).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
2007 ELECTION RESULTS
2011 ELECTION RESULTS Political Party Constituency
MSPsRegional
MSPs Total MSPs % of votes* % of seats
Conservative 3 12 15
Green 0 2 2
Labour 15 22 37
Liberal Democrats 2 3 5
Scottish National Party 53 16 69
Others 0 1 1
PR systems usually
result in the party with the most
seats having under 50% .
2011 was the first time a party won
with a majority.
Single Transferable Vote Voters choose their
candidates and parties in order of preference.
A fair percentage, or quota, for a candidate to be elected is worked out.
First preferences are calculated to see if the quota has been reached, second preferences are then worked out and added to the first preferences and so on until the seats have been filled.http://www.bbc.co.uk
Party List (national/regional list) Each party draws up a list of candidates which
are ranked in order of the party’s preference. Voters cast a vote for a party rather than a
candidate. If a party received 20% of the vote the top 20% of
the party candidates will become representatives.
Advantages and Disadvantages of PR systems1. In groups of 3 each take one of the PR systems. 2. Using the handouts write down the advantages and
disadvantages of your system. 3. Try to come up with some recent examples to
report back to your group. Advantages
Disadvantages
Examples
Additional Members SystemSingle Transferable VoteParty List