Classroom presentation on topic of elections and voting for National 5 Modern Studies students.

1. ELECTIONS AND VOTING

2. learning objectives
• Describe the functions of elections
• Explain how elections contribute to democracy
• Identify electoral systems used in the UK and
explain their key features, strengths and
weaknesses

3. learning objectives
• Explain the impact of new electoral systems
• Describe how elections are run
• Explain the importance of by-elections
• understand the results 0f 2015 general
election

4. key concepts

5. Election
A competitive process in which a designated group
of people, known as electorate, select
individuals who will fill particular posts.
Members of legislatures, and the executive in
presidential systems, are chosen in elections.

6. Manifesto
A document in which a political party sets outs
its programme at an election.

7. Mandate
A mandate gives the winning party the authority
to press ahead with the programme presented to
the electorate.

8. functions of elections

9. Representation
In a representative democracy, elections enable a
large group (the electorate) to select a smaller
group (representatives) to act on their behalf. In
a direct democracy, by contrast, all eligible
citizens take part in decision making.

10. Choosing a government
general elections determine the composition of
the House of Commons rather than the executive.
However, because the majority party in the
Commons forms the government, general elections
normally determine which party takes power.

11. Participation
Voting is the key act of political participation for
most citizens. But turnout in elections has fallen
in the last decade.

12. Influence over policy
In theory, elections allow citizens to have their
policy preferences heard, but in reality, they
have limited scope to influence decisions.

13. Accountability
Facing the electorate every 5 years is one of the
ways by which the government is held
accountable for its performance in office.

14. Citizen education
Election campaigns provide citizens with
information on major political issues and the
policies of the main parties.

15. Legitimacy
Elections give legitimacy to the winning party and
to the political system as a whole. By voting, even
for a losing party, citizens give their consent to
the system. The government can claim to be
acting on the will of the people.

16. Elite recruitment
Political parties nominate candidates for
election, provide them with campaign resources
and expect loyalty from them if they become MPs.

17. elections in the uk

18. General elections
These are held to elect members of the House of
Commons and, by law, must be held at least every
5 years.

19. European Parliament elections
The UK elects 73 Members of the European
Parliament at elections held at fixed-term
intervals of 5 years.

20. Elections to the devolved
assemblies
Elections to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh
Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly are
held at fixed 4-year intervals.

21. Local elections
Local councillors are elected for fixed 4-year
terms.

22. By-elections
If a constituency seat in the House of Commons
becomes vacant because of the death or
resignation of an elected member, a by-election is
held to choose a new representative.

23. electoral systems

24. electoral systems
• majoritarian (e.g. the alternative vote)
• plurality (e.g. first-past-the-post)
• proportional (e.g. the list system)
• mixed (e.g. the additional member system)

25. Majoritarian system
the winning candidate must secure an absolute
majority of the vote (i.e. 50% + 1 vote). Candidates
are usually elected in single-member
constituencies.
e.g. the alternative vote

26. Plurality system
the winner needs only a plurality of votes
(i.e. one more than their closest rival), not an
absolute majority. candidates are elected in
single-member constituencies.
e.g. first-past-the-post

27. Proportional representation
electors vote for as many candidates as they
wish in order of preference. candidates are
elected in multi-member constituencies.
e.g. the list system

28. Mixed system
combines elements of the plurality or majority systems and
proportional representation. Some MPs are elected in single-
member constituencies. The reminder are elected by
proportional representation in multi-member constituencies.
These list seats produce ‘additional members’ that are
allocated to parties on corrective lines.
e.g. the additional member system

29. FIRST-PAST-THE-POST – A PLURALITY SYSTEM USED FOR
GENERAL ELECTIONS

30. SUPPLEMENTARY VOTE – A MAJORITARIAN SYSTEM USED
TO CHOOSE DIRECTLY ELECTED MAYORS

31. ADDITIONAL MEMBER SYSTEM – USED FOR ELECTIONS TO
THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

32. REGIONAL LIST – A PROPORTIONAL SYSTEM USED FOR
ELECTIONS TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

33. SINGLE TRANSFERABLE VOTE – A PROPORTIONAL SYSTEM
USED FOR LOCAL ELECTIONS IN SCOTLAND

34. First-past-the-post

35. The first-past-the-post (FPTP), also
known as simple plurality, is the
most significant electoral system in
the UK because it is used for general
elections.

36. A candidate requires a plurality of
votes to win: that is, one more vote
than the second placed candidate.
There is no requirement to obtain a
majority of the votes cast.

37. MPs are elected in single-member
constituencies. Each of the 650
constituencies in the UK elects one
representative to the House of
Commons.

38. Constituencies are of roughly equal
size (70,000 electors). Differences in
the size of constituencies are
permitted if there are significant
geographical factors.

39. features of FPTP:
• a two-party system
• a winner’s bonus
• bias to the Labour Party
• discrimination against third parties and small
parties
• single-party government

40. Advantages of FPTp:
• Simplicity
• Clear outcome
• Strong and stable government
• Responsible government
• Effective representation

41. Disadvantages of FPTp:
• Disproportional outcomes
• Plurality rather than majority support
• Votes are of unequal value
• Limited choice
• Divisive politics

42. alternative vote

43. AV is used to elect Australia’s lower
house, the House of Representatives.
In the UK it was the alternative
system proposed for electing MPs in
the referendum held in May 2011.

44. Features of AV:
• Representatives are elected in single-member
constituencies
• The winning candidate has to achieve an overall majority of
the votes cast
• Voters can indicate their preferences by writing ‘1’ beside
the name of their first choice, ‘2’ next to their second
choice, and so on

45. Features of AV:
• If no candidate secures an absolute majority of their
first preferences, the lowest placed candidate is
eliminated, and the second preferences of his or her
voters are transferred to the remaining candidates
• The process continues until one candidate reaches
the 50% + 1 vote threshold

46. Advantages of av:
• Representatives are elected by majorities in their
constituencies
• The winning candidate must achieve broad support
• The link between representatives and their
constituents is retained

47. Disadvantages of av:
• It is not a proportional system, and can produce less
proportional outcomes than FPTP
• The candidate that secures most votes may not be elected
when second preferences have been distributed – the least
popular rather than most popular candidate may be elected
• The second preferences of electors who voted for small
extremist parties are taken into account

48. supplementary vote

49. The supplementary vote (SV) is a
variant of AV. It has been used for
the election of the major of London
since 2000, and for directly elected
majors in other towns and cities.

50. Features of SV:
• The elector has one vote and records only his or her first
and second preferences on the ballot paper
• If no candidate wins a majority of first preferences, all but
the top two candidates are eliminated, and the second
preference votes for the remaining two eligible candidates
are added to their first preference votes
• The candidate with the highest total is elected

51. Advantages of SV:
• The winning candidate must achieve broad
support
• The second preferences of voters who
supported minor parties are not counted

52. Disadvantages of SV:
• The winning candidate does not need to get a
majority of first preference votes
• If used for general elections, it would not
deliver a proportional outcome

53. Regional list

54. The regional list system of proportional
representation has been used for
elections to the European Parliament in
England, Scotland and Wales (but not
Northern Ireland) since 1999.

55. Features of regional list:
• Representatives are elected in large multi-member
regions. For European Parliament elections, there
are 11 regions in Great Britain electing between
three and ten MEPs
• Political parties draw up a list of candidates, in
order in which they will be elected

56. Features of regional list:
• Electors cast a single vote for a political party or an independent
candidate. In ‘closed list’ system used in Britain, electors can only vote for
a party or for an independent candidate. They cannot choose between
candidates from the same party. This gives political parties greater
control over the electoral process, as they can position their favoured
candidates at the top of the list. In an ‘open list’ system, voters can choose
between candidates from the same party
• Seats are allocated according to the proportion of votes won by each
political party in the region

57. Advantages of regional list:
• There is a high degree of proportionality. The size of the
region matters – results are more proportional in regions
electing high number of representatives, but smaller
parties are less likely to win seats in regions electing a
small number of representatives
• Political parties have used their lists to increase the
number of women and ethnic minority candidates

58. Disadvantages of regional list:
• In closed list systems, voters cannot choose between
candidates from the same party
• Parties control the order in which candidates are placed
on the list, and can use this power to favour candidates
who support current leadership
• The link between representatives and constituents is
weakened in large multi-member constituencies

59. single transferable vote

60. The single transferable vote (STV) is used in
Northern Ireland for elections to the
Northern Ireland Assembly, local
government and the European Parliament. It
is also used for local elections in Scotland.

61. Features of STV:
• Representatives are elected in large multi-member constituencies.
In elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly, 17 constituencies
each elect six members
• Voting is preferential – electors indicate their preferences by
writing ‘1’ beside the name of their first preference, ‘2’ next to the
name of their second choice and so on
• Voting is also ordinal – electors can vote for as many or as few
candidates as they like

62. Features of STV:
• A candidate must achieve a quota to be elected. Any votes in excess
of this quota are redistributed on the basis of second preferences
• If no candidate reaches the quota on the first count, the lowest
placed candidate is eliminated and their second preferences are
transferred. This process of elimination and redistribution of
preferences continues until the requisite number of seats is filled
by candidates meeting the quota

63. Advantages of STV:
• It has a good record of delivering proportional outcomes,
and ensures that votes are largely of equal value
• Only a party or groups of parties that wins more than
50% of the popular vote can form a government
• Voters can choose between a range of candidates,
including different candidates from the same party

64. Disadvantages of STV:
• The system is less accurate in translating votes into seats
than list systems or some versions of AMS
• It uses large multi-member constituencies that weaken the
link between individual MPs and their constituency
• It is likely to produce a coalition government that may be
unstable and can give disproportional influence to minor
parties that hold the balance of power

65. additional member system

66. The additional member system (AMS) is a
mixed electoral system. It has been used to
elect the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh
Assembly since 1999, and the London
Assembly since 2000. It is also used for
general elections in Germany.

67. Features of STV:
• A proportion of seats are elected using FPTP in single-member
constituencies; 73 out of 129 members of the Scottish Parliament
(57%) are elected in single-member constituencies, as are 40 of the
60 members of the Welsh Assembly (67%)
• A smaller number of representatives – additional members – are
elected in multi-member constituencies; 56 members of the
Scottish Parliament (43%) and 20 members of the Welsh Assembly
(33%) are elected in this way

68. Features of STV:
• Electors cast two votes: one for their favoured candidate in a single-
member constituency, and one for their favoured party in a multi-member
constituency
• List seats (additional members) are allocated on a corrective basis to
ensure that the total number of seats for parties in the assembly is
proportional to the number of votes they won
• To win seats in the London Assembly, a party must pass a threshold of 5%
of the vote. There is no threshold for Scottish Government and Welsh
Assembly elections

69. Advantages of AMS:
• As a mixed system, it balances the desirability of constituency
representation with that of fairness in election outcomes
• The results are broadly proportional and voters are less likely
to be wasted
• Voters have a greater choice. Split-ticket voting is allowed. Here,
a voter uses their constituency vote to support a candidate from
one party, and their list vote to support a different party

70. Disadvantages of AMS:
• It creates two categories of representative in the
legislative assembly, one with constituency duties and one
without
• Parties can have significant control over the party lists
used to elect additional members
• Smaller parties are often under-represented because
multi-member seats elect relatively few representatives

71. impact of the new electoral
systems

72. Greater proportionality
The results of the elections conducted under the new
electoral systems have been more proportional than
Westminster elections. The number of seats won by
parties in the assemblies more closely matches the
share of the vote they achieved. Smaller parties have
had a greater chance of representation.

73. Multi-party systems
The results of elections using PR and mixed
electoral systems have confirmed that the UK
has a number of party systems rather than a
standard, nationwide two-party system. Many of
these are multi-party systems.

74. Minority and coalition
governments
Until 2011, none of the elections to the devoted
assemblies had produced a clear winner.

75. Split-ticket voting
Voting behaviour has become more complex. Minor
parties and independent candidates have
performed better in elections using the new
systems because electors recognise that a vote
for a minor party is less likely to be wasted.

76. Complexity
A sizeable minority of voters have found the
systems complex and the design of ballot papers
has been criticised. in the 2007 Scottish Parliament
elections, 146,000 ballots were rejected because
they have not been completed correctly.

77. Constituency links
Tensions between constituency and regional list
members have arisen in the Scottish Parliament
and the Welsh Assembly.

78. Low turnout
Turn out in elections conducted under the new
systems has often been low. Evidence from other
countries shows that turnout in general
elections conducted under PR elections is higher
than where FPTP is used.

79. general elections

80. general elections are held at least
once every 5 years.

81. Before a general election can be
held, the monarch must dissolve
parliament.

82. Running elections

83. boundary commission
recommends to parliament changes
to constituency boundaries.

84. returning officers
conduct the election in each
constituency.

85. Electoral Commission
overseas many aspects of the way
elections are run (though it does
not actually run elections itself).

86. how to become a candidate?

87. Candidates
To qualify as a candidate for a British
parliamentary election you must be
aged 18 or over and be a British, Irish
or Commonwealth citizen.

88. Nomination
To be a candidate in a parliamentary
election you must first be nominated
– even if you are the sitting MP.

89. Selected party candidates
Most of the main parties select their
candidates in much the same sort of
way, and do so a long time before a
general election is called.

90. voting

91. To be able to vote in British parliamentary election,
you must be:
• a British, Irish of Commonwealth citizen
• aged 18 or over
• resident in the UK
• registered in the constituency in which you want
to vote

92. general election campaigns

93. Campaign
the period before an election which
political parties try to persuade
the electorate to vote for them.

94. campaigns
local national

95. local
• hold public meetings
• issue their ‘election address’
• leaflet every household
• go from door-to-door with their
supporters canvasing

96. national
• publish manifestos
• engage in public campaigns
• conduct daily press conferences
• give television, radio and newspaper
interviews

97. national
• make and air party election broadcasts on
radio and television
• go on tours of marginal constituencies
• conduct private opinion polls and run
focus groups

98. Election finance
the parties have to pay for their own campaigns.
In 2010, political parties spent £31.5 million on
their election campaigns, £11 million less than in
2005 (mainly due to a fall of almost £10 million in
the amount spent by the Labour Party).

99. Election expenditure
the Political Parties Elections and Referendums
Act (2000) regulated how parties raised money
and set limits on how much parties could spend on
certain activities in the year before a general
election.

100. by-elections

101. If an MP dies, resigns or is expelled
from the House of Commons,
a by-election is held to choose a new
representative for that constituency.

102. General elections must be held every 5
years, or sooner. by-elections are
called when required.

103. General elections are usually called
by the prime minister. by-elections’
dates are decided by the chief whip of
the party that previously held the seat.

104. The function of a by-election is to
select a new MP. general elections
have a far wider range of purposes
including choosing a new government .

105. At general elections parties can win or
loose power, but no matter what the
result of a by-election, it is unlikely
that the government will fall, though
its authority may be diminished.

106. Turnout is lower at by-elections.

107. it is common for seats lost by a party
at a by-election to be regained at the
next general election, even if the
party loses the election.

108. By-elections are often seen as tests
of the popularity of the government
of the day as portents of the future.

109. By-elections often become the centre
of media attention in a way the same
seat would not do at a general
election.