Referendum on 5th May 2011

What is the “Alternative Vote“ and do we want it?

Christian Pontasch, 21st March 2011

What is a referendum? What are we voting on? Electoral Systems Comparison Our choice Conclusion Sources Questions?

CONTENT

Direct democracy

Express your view on a specific issue

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Agenda setting

Are you competent enough to express your view?

THE REFERENDUM

“When you come to vote you will be asked to vote

‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to this simple question:

Do you want the United Kingdom to adopt the

'alternative vote' system instead

of the current 'first past the post'

system for electing Members of Parliament to the

House of Commons?”

Source: http://www.yestofairervotes.org/pages/why-a-referendum

THE QUESTION

Source: http://www.yestofairervotes.org/pages/why-a-referendum

Source: Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM FAMILIES

PLURALITY MAJORITY

FPTP

TRS

AV

BV

PBV

MIXED

PARALLEL

MMP

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

LIST PR

STV

OTHER

SNTV

LV

BC

Source: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, 2005

FPTP AV

LIST

PR

TRS BV PB

V

PARAL

LEL

MMP

STV

SNTV LV BC

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

47

3

70

22

15

4

21

9

2 41 1

21.48

0.26

11.82

4.090.3200000000000010.3

7.732.99

0.04 0.34 0.003 0.001

Number of CountriesNumber Population in 100 Millions

Countries & Total Population

Source: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, 2005

2010 % VOTE SHARE

STV % SEAT SHARE

AV % SEAT SHARE

FPTP % SEAT SHARE

0% 10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

0.23

25

12

9

0.29

32

40

40

0.36

38

43

47

0.12

5

4

4

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS LABOURCONSERVATIVES OTHER

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8644480.stm

UK General Election 2010

THE BALLOT

FPTPVote for one option

AVRank any number of options

in your order of preference

Arielle

Bambi

Buzz

Nemo

Pocahontas

Simba

Buzz

Arielle

Pocahontas

Simba

Nemo

Bambi

Election Results FPTP

Total Vote: 72,356(Majority: 36,179)

PocahontasNemo

Buzz

Simba

Arielle

Bambi

FPTPVote for one option

29,021

26,471

13,739

1,677

1,139

309

Source: Farrell (2001), p. 58

Election Results AV

Total Vote: 72,356(Majority: 36,179)

Bambi 309

Pocahontas 29,060

Nemo 26,516

Buzz 13,800

Simba 1,793

Arielle 1,187

Pocahontas 29,413

Nemo 26,739

Buzz 13,969

Simba 2,235

Pocahontas 30,400

Nemo 27,546

Buzz 14,410

Nemo 36,42

3

Pocahontas 35,933

NemoPocahontas

Buzz

Simba

Arielle

Bambi

AVRank any number of options in

your order of preference

Source: Farrell (2001), p. 58

• Clear-cut choice

• Strong governments (incl.

strong opposition)

• Simple to use and

understand

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

• Excludes smaller parties/

minority representation

• Excludes women

• Wasted votes, vote-splitting

• Disproportional results

FPTP AV• Related-interest

representation

• Second preferences

• Increases consent

• Incentives for

accomodatory and

cooperative politics

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

• Disproportional results

• Literacy/Numeracy

Very similar electoral systems

What about proportional representation?

FPTP: Simple, strong governments

Exclusive, disproportional

AV: Increases consent, fosters cooperation amongst parties

Difficult, disproportional (sometimes even compared to FPTP)

CONCLUSION

European Centre for Parliamentary Research and Documentation, 2000. The ECPRD: Electoral Systems in Europe. Brussels: ECPRD

Farrell, D. M., 2001. Electoral Systems – A Comparative Introduction. Basingstoke: Palgrave

Heywood, A. (2000). Key Concepts in Politics. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, 2005. Electoral System Design: The New International IDEA Handbook. Stockholm: IDEA

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

Reynolds, Joe, 2011. Lecture: Political Ideals – Authority and Legitimacy. (02/02/2011)

Robinson, C., 2010. Electoral Systems and Voting in the United Kingdom. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press

Inter-Parliamentary Union/Union Interparlementaire: http://www.ipu.org/english/home.htm

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/elections/upcoming-elections-and-referendums/uk/referendum

http://www.yestofairervotes.org/content/

http://www.no2av.org/

SOURCES

QUESTIONS?

POPU

LATI

ON

ELEC

TORATE

REGIS

TERED

Ф WHO B

OTHER

VOTE IN

GVMT.

(bet

wee

n 35

% [2

005]

and

49%

[195

5])

ELEC

TION 2

010

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

62

4642

31,5

13,2318,6

UK in Million (Commons: 45% seats of Parliament)

THE ISSUE OF REPRESENTATION

Source: Joe Reynolds, Lecture: Political Ideals – Authority and Legitimacy, 02/02/2011

Source: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, 2005

Source: International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, 2005

FPTP AV Proportional Representation

Mixed (FPTP & PR)

UK/England (Commons)

Australia Austria (List PR) Italy (MMP 75 & 25)

Bangladesh

Fiji Bulgaria (List PR) Scotland (MMP 57 & 43)

Canada Papua N. Guinea

Netherlands (List PR)

Sudan (PARALLEL 60 & 40)

India Poland (List PR) Wales (MMP 67 & 33)

Malaysia Spain (List PR) Germany (MMP 50 & 50)

Nigeria Northern Ireland (STV)

New Zealand (MMP 54 & 46)

United States

Ireland (STV) Russian Federation (PARALLEL 50 & 50)

Source: INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/parlinesearch.asp

FPTP: First Past the Post TRS: Two Round System AV: Alternative Vote BV: Block Vote PBV: Party Block Vote PARALLEL: PR and other MMP: Mixed Member Proportional LIST PR: Party List STV: Single Transferable Vote SNTV: Single Non-Transferable Vote LV: Limited Vote BC: Borda Count

Glossary