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Electoral Systems
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- 1What does the electoral system encompass?The mechanical or formal elements of translating citizens’ preferences into parliamentary seats (or other offices). However, the electoral process encompasses many more informal elements such as campaigning.
- 2What are major features of electoral systems?Districts (constituencies) & district magnitude (number of MPs elected per constituency, UK - 650 districts). SMP & AV tend to have 1 MP per district, but list PR has a much high number. High magnitude allows greater proportionality. Electoral mechanism (what do voters choose, implemented by ballot paper) & formula (ways of translating votes into seats, ranking etc).
- 3What are major features of electoral systems?Special rules including thresholds: e.g. min vote share (Sweden=4%, GER=5% or 3 districts). May include winners’ bonuses: extra seats for party with most votes (Greece: 50-seat bonus for winning party) & guaranteed majority for winning party (even in PR).
- 4What are the two ideal types of electoral system?Majoritarian (SMP & AV), the underlying ideal is majority rule with clear district winner. Proportional (List & STV), the underlying ideal is representativeness with large districts. There are mixed member PR & majority bonuses which incorporate elements from both.
- 5What does single-member plurality involve?FPTP, 1 MP per constituency, the number of constituencies equals the number of seats. Plurality means most votes wins & you don't need 50% of the vote. Used in UK, USA, Canada, India, Caribbean states.
- 6What does STV involve?AV in multi-member districts is the most simplest form of STV. AV rejected in UK referendum in 2011. It involves 1 MP per constituency, the number of constituencies equals the number seats
but a candidate must get 50% to win. Voters rank the candidates in order of preferences, candidates are continually eliminated & votes reallocated until someone has reached 50% of the vote. - 7What does List PR involve?Most common in Europe, used in UK EP elections. Voters vote for parties, not candidates. Usually large districts (many members elected) or country-wide. Seats distributed according to vote share (precise formula varies). Seats are filled from the closed lists starting at the top.
Open list PR systems allow preferential votes to re-order lists, large districts make proportional allocation easier as smaller numbers harder to divide. - 8What does mixed-member proportional involve?Elements of SMP & list PR. 2 votes one for constituency (SMP) & one regional top-up (list PR) to ensure proportionality. The greater top-up element the more proportional. But two types of MPs may cause a problem. In Scotland there are 73 constituency MSPs & 56 regional list MSPs & 8 top-up regions (7 MSPs each).
- 9What are some possible standards that electoral systems should achieve?Broad representation & choice, representation of constituency interests, effective government, accountable government, inclusive government & transparency of seat allocation.
- 10What are the advantages & disadvantages of SMP?It's easy to understand, provides a constituency link, ensures strong & accountable single-party government with clear responsibility for policy. But often highly disproportional, most UK MPs elected on <50%, in 2010: Green MP elected on 31.3%. There is limited choice (exacerbated by fear of ‘wasted’ votes & safe seats). Voters can’t separate support for party from support for candidate.
- 11What was Kelly’s (2010) evaluation of the 2009 EP elections under PR?Proportionate outcomes, more choice/fewer wasted votes, broader representation & gender equality. Unintelligible counting procedure, low turnout, depersonalised voting, no verdict on individuals allowed, empowers party selectors over constituencies/voters, large districts so unclear which MEP responsible for whom or what in the district & "footholds for fascists”.
- 12What is the conclusion?Electoral systems are the mechanical processes converting electoral preferences into parliamentary seats. Majoritarian and proportional ideals & types. No ‘right’ system. Different systems implement different values.
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- Parties & Elections Yr 2 Fichas sobre Electoral Systems, creado por Miss Rogers el 01/03/2019.
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- Miss Rogers
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