Electoral Systems

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  • Electoral Systems
    • First Past the Post
      • Advantages
        • Results in a clear winner, easy to hold government to account
        • Results in a single party government
        • Easy to use
      • Disadvantages
        • Weak majorities so weak mandate
        • Unfair to minor parties
        • Can result in a large number of safe seats - 363/368 safe seats predicted before 2015 general election
      • Simple plurality system
    • Additional Member System
      • when used in 2011 Scottish Parliament elections produced  44% SNP majority
      • Gives greater voter choice - a minority party can be selected for national elections without the fear of it being a wasted vote, tactical voting may be reduced
      • Hybrid system combines the   First Past the post system with proportional representation Each voter typically gets two votes one for a candidate and one for a party.
    • Referendums
      • Good for democracy
        • encourages political participation
        • provides a mandate for controversial issues
      • Bad for democracy
        • ''Neverendum'
        • Regular use could result in apathy and therefore low turnout
      • A referendum may be called to settle a divisive issue or to settle disputes in a  party
    • Direct and Representative democracy
      • Direct democracy - referendums
      • Representative - MPs elected to Parliament
        • Delegate theory of representation
        • Trustee model of representation
    • Electoral reform
      • 2011 Alternative Vote Referendum - 67.9% voted "no"
      • Additional Member System produces a stronger majority
      • First Past the Post is unfair to minor parties
    • Party List System
      • proportional system
    • Alternative Vote
      • preferential system

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