AQA UK Politics: Elections and referendums Questions & Answers
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AQA UK Politics: Elections and referendums
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AQA UK Politics: Elections And Referendums
AQA UK Politics: Elections and referendums
Which electoral system does the UK use in general elections? - Answer-First past the post
What is first past the post? - Answer-A plurality system in which the electorate votes for one candidate in their constituency. Whichever candidate receives the...
what is one clear democratic drawback of first pas
name 3 positives of the first
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AQA UK Politics: Elections and referendums
AQA UK Politics: Elections and referendums
AQA UK Politics: Elections and referendums
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AQA UK Politics: Elections and
referendums
Which electoral system does the UK use in general elections? - Answer-First past
the post
What is first past the post? - Answer-A plurality system in which the electorate votes
for one candidate in their constituency. Whichever candidate receives the most votes
then wins
What is one clear democratic drawback of first past the post? - Answer-
Representatives can get elected with small amounts of public support, as the size of
the winning margin is irrelevant (candidates do not need to win a majority of votes
cast): what matters is only that they get more votes than other candidates.
Name 3 positives of the first past the post system: - Answer-1. It's simple to
understand.
2. In a political environment, FPTP enables voters to clearly express a view on which
party they think should form the next government.
3. FPTP is ideally suited to a two-party system and generally produces strong single-
party governments, although the 2010 UK General Election was an obvious
exception
Name 4 negatives of the first past the post system: - Answer-1. FPTP encourages
tactical voting, as voters often vote not for the candidate they most prefer, but
against the candidate they most dislike.
2. FPTP is regarded as wasteful, as votes cast in a constituency for losing
candidates, or for the winning candidate above the level they need to win that seat,
count for nothing.
3. Having small constituencies often leads to a proliferation of safe seats, where the
same party is all but guaranteed re-election at each election. This can effectively
disenfranchise a region's voters
4. Although encouraging two-party politics can be advantageous, in a multi-party
culture, third parties with significant support can often be greatly disadvantaged
(UKIP in 2015)
What is a majoritarian system? - Answer-An electoral system in which the winning
candidate must achieve an absolute majority of votes (50%+ 1) cast in a single
member constituency
What type of government are majoritarian systems likely to result in, and why? -
Answer-A majority government, as they are not proportional
What is a proportional system? - Answer-A system in which seats are allocated in
proportion to the number of votes recieved by each party
, What type of government do proportional systems typically result in? - Answer-
Coalition
What is a mixed system? - Answer-A system in which two types of representatives
are elected using different systems
Give an example of a majoritarian voting system, and where it is used: - Answer-
Supplementray vote- currently used in elections for the London Mayor
What do voters have to do in a supplementary vote? - Answer-They have to choose
a first and second preference candidate
Give an example of a proportional voting system, and where it is used: - Answer-
Single Transferrable Vote- currently used in the Northern Ireland elections
What do voters have to do in single transferrable votes? - Answer-Write numbers
next to the candidates in order of preference
Give an example of a mixed voting system, and where it is used: - Answer-Additional
member system- currently used in elections to the Scottish Parliament, National
Assembly for Wales and the London Assembly
Name an advantage of majoritarian voting systems: - Answer-Increased legitimacy-
representatives need to command broader support than under FPTP
Name two disadvantages of majoritarian voting systems: - Answer-1. Voting for
anyone other than the two main candidates still results in wasted votes
2. Its very difficult for minor parties to win, although they may recieve support at the
first preference stage
Name two advantages of proportional voting systems: - Answer-1. Its proportional-
voters can support minor parties knowing their vote will count
2. Greatest choice- using STV, voters can choose both the party and the individual
What is another name for a majoritarian system in the UK? - Answer-Alternative
voting system (AV)
Name two disadvantages of the proportional voting systems: - Answer-1. Coalition
governments are highly likely- these may be weak and unstable
2. It involves a complex voting process in which voters may find it difficult or
confusing to choose between different parties and candidates
Name two advantages of a mixed voting system: - Answer-1. Choice- voters can
confidently vote for minor parties with the regional list vote
2. Split-ticket voting allows voters to choose one party for their constituency vote,
and a different party for their list vote
Name two disadvantages of a mixed voting system: - Answer-1. Majority (and
strong) governmenta are less likely than with FPTP
2. Does not deliver a fully proportional result, as the majority of seats are FPTP
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