Elections – revision

To review the different systems used in the UK

• Article 1• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6637387

.stm• Article 2• http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/blog/a-m

ultitude-of-voting-systems

First Past the Post

Advantages Disadvantages

Single Transferable vote

DisadvantagesAdvantages

List System (PR)

Advantages Disadvantages

Additional Member System

Advantages Disadvantages

This system should always produce a clear

winner, and thus the winner will have a strong mandate to

govern

This system is extremely simple to

administrate, and thus a result is quick and

decisive

In this system, a large proportion are votes

are essentially ‘wasted’

The winner in this system can form a

government with as little as 36% of the vote

The winner in this system enjoys a higher degree of legitimacy as they have polled over

half the vote

This system discriminates against smaller parties who

are even less likely to gain the required

majority

This system discriminates against smaller parties who

are even less likely to gain the required

majority

This system can often result in Coalition

governments

This system is favourable to minor

parties as they receive seats according to

votes gained

This system ensures a good degree of

proportionality as well as producing a clear

result

This system is more difficult to administer

as there is a complicated equation required to work out

the result

This system is hard to administer as there may be a number of recounts required in

order to achieve a clear result

This system is the most democratic, in that it combines the

advantages of several systems.

This system benefits voters who are not

entirely sure of their preferred candidate

In a partisan society this system gives the voters choice between moderate and extreme parties

Having won 10%Vote, yet 2.5%

Seats after top up This was 8.3% for

Lib Dem

Conservatives won 25% but

Only 15% seats.

In 2011 24 women were

elected (40%)The result took

2 days to arrive at

Candidates are Winners not party

managers

It may lead to Donkey voting