Summary
Summary Electoral systems
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Describes in depth the electoral systems in the UK and how this varies among devolved bodies and why they were chose to boost political agendas.
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Electoral SystemsFunctions of elections
Representation: Due to the process of representative democracy, the electorate are
represented by 'trustees' that are voted in they address issues that fits the interest of the
constituency, however they are entitled to think independently in response to changing
circumstances
Choosing the government: At a general election voter are choosing a government which
grants it legitimacy. Under the first past the post system it is usually simple and 'winner
takes all' however there are exceptions such as the hung parliament in 2010
Holding a government to account: Due to the electorate having the power to vote a
government out at the next general election it puts pressure on them to act a certain way,
e.g. following their manifesto. Since 2015 the recall of MPs Act has strengthened the power
of voters to remove MPs who have behaved poorly
Participation: Voting in elections is the most obvious way that the average person can take
part in politics. People usually make decisions based off manifestos, however these are not
exceptionally reliable. In 2001, Labour promised they would prevent top up fees for
university students and once they were in government introduced fees by £1,000 annually.
Influence over policy: Election defeats do send a message to parties to not continue with
unpopular policies, for example Labours catastrophic defeat in 1983 forced them to vet to a
more central ground. Similar smaller parties such as Green party, which have no real cha cue
of wining government can attract enough attention to make bigger parties introduce new
policies.
5 key functions
1. Representation
2. Choosing government
3. Holding government to account
4. Participation
5. Influence over policies
How should different voting systems be judged?
o A fair result, that gives as far as possible an equal value to everyone's votes
o A choice of candidates
o An effective link between the elected representative and the constituency
o A strong government that can pass laws and be held accountable
, First past the post system
The voting system used for UK general elections and local council elections in England and Wales. Voters cast a
single vote by placing a cross next to their preferred candidate, the person with the largest number of votes
within a constituency win. The winner does not have to gain most votes, only most seats. This was seen in 1951
and 1974.
Where is it used?
o UK general elections
o By – elections
o Local council elections In England and Wales
Advantages of first past the post system
Speed and simplicity: It are easy and convenient to use with voters choosing one candidate. The
results are usually known the next morning. This is much quicker than representative elections for
example after the 2010 general election in Belgium it took 18 months to form a government
Strong and stable government: It tends to promote a 2-party system which gives the electorate a
clear choice and usually gives a clear majority allowing government to carry out its plan. For example,
it enabled Margaret Thatcher to carry out her plans of reduction of trade union powers
Exclusion of extremists: Due to the system underrepresenting smaller parties it prevents parties with
racist or homophobic agendas the ability to gain any power.
A strong link between MPs and their constituencies: The fact that constituencies can be quite small,
and a single MP is responsible for their representation, they hold a lot of surgeries making them
accessible to those seeking help and advice. Stephen Timms who was a Labour MP in London held the
largest record of surgeries in 2011, this was despite him being stabbed by an Islamic extremist the
previous year. Emphasising the importance of a strong link
Disadvantages of first past the post system
MPs and governments can be elected on less than 50% of the vote: this is because an overall
majority is not needed, only one more vote than the second candidate is required.
At national level regularly produces governments elected on a minority of the popular vote. The
lowest percentage was in 2005 when Tony Blair was re-elected on 35.2% of the vote, this be a
democratic deficit
Lack of proportionality: Does not translate the number of votes into seats for each party with any real
accuracy, this favours parties whose support is concentrated instead of spreading in a large
geographical area. For example, UKIP won earl 3.9 million votes In 2015, but only one seat.
The winner's bonus: The winning party enjoys a share of the seats more than the share of votes it
receives. This occurs if a large share of the seats is marginal between the 2 main parties. In the 2015
election the conservatives won 50.9% of the seats with 36.9% of the vote. Marginal seats are where
general elections are commonly determined; therefore, parties heavily focus their resources on these
seats.
Limited voter choice: Each party only puts forward a single candidate, so there is no choice between
individuals. The prevalence of safe seats means that many voters have no hope of seeing their
favoured candidates win. This can depress voter turnout. For example, Maidenhead has been a safe
seat for Conservatives since 1885. This leads to tactical voting where people do not vote for their
favourite, but a candidate which is most likely to prevent a party they dislike from winning. In 2015
several vote swapping websites were set up where people could swap votes with a constituency
which would make a difference
Votes are of unequal value: In a small constituency a vote usually counts for more than it does in a
larger one.
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