Elections

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What is an election?
A method of filling an office or post through choices made by a designated body of people: the electorate
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What does Ad Hoc mean?
Decided by government
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What are the key differences between referendums and elections?
Referendums are on one specific issue, Ad Hoc, are not binding and are a form of direct democracy. Whereas elections fill a position & vote is for a candidate or party, they are held often, cover a range of issues & are a form of representative democ
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What is the most important form of political participation?
Elections as they link government to the people
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Define representation
A relationship through which an individual or group stands for, or acts on behalf of, a larger body of people
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What is a manifesto?
An instruction or command that gives authority to a person or body to act in a particular way.
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How does a party develop and carry out its policies?
By gaining a popular mandate in an election and thus activating a manifesto
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What are the three functions of elections?
To form governments, ensure representation and uphold legitimacy
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How do elections provide legitimacy?
As the population turn up to vote they consent to being governed and thus this provides legitimacy of government
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What problems are there with legitimacy?
Voter turnout has dropped massively, so too has apathy,
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What was the voter turnout for the PCC elections?
15%
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What was the voter turnout for the X Factor finals in 2010?
23.18%
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What was the turnout at the Manchester by-election?
18%
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What type of a voting system is FPTP?
A majoritarian system
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Who is the winner in majoritarian systems?
The person who gets the most votes
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List the voting systems that are majoritarian
The second ballot, FPTP and alternative vote
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What do proportional systems ensure?
They produce an accurate fit between the votes cast and the seats allocated to a legislative assembly
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What type of constituencies are proportional systems usually used in?
Multi-member constituencies
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Name some voting systems that are proportional
STV (single transferable vote) and party list
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What are hybrid/mixed systems?
Voting systems that combine elements of proportional and majoritarian systems
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How do hybrid systems work?
Some members of parliament are elected in single member constituencies for one certain parliament, the remainder are elected in multi-member constituencies using PR, from this top up seats are created and these people are elected as additional member
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What systems use a hybrid model?
AMS (Additional Member System)
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What countries use FPTP?
England
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What country uses STV?
Northern Ireland
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What country uses AMS?
Scotland
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How many seats did the liberal democrats win in the 2010 election?
57
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How many seats would the liberal democrats have won if the AV+ system was used?
110
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What are the traditional methods of election campaigning?
Canvassing, leaflets and letters
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What are the new methods of campaigning?
Direct e-mails, e-campaigning, election broadcasts and databases
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What are target seats?
These are seats that a party deems they have a good chance of stealing off of another party
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What happens at target seats?
Extra emphasis is put on the campaign in that area
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How can a party aid a campaign in a target seat?
Transportation of voters to and from polling stations, use of party activists, using local media contacts to gain coverage and door to door talks
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What issues to parties tend to focus on in election campaigns?
Those that impact the majority and not the minority
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Are newspapers supposed to remain impartial?
No
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Are the TV broadcasters supposed to remain impartial?
Yes
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What percentage of press favour the conservatives?
70%
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What does one study believe that the backing of labour by Rupert Murdoch gained them in votes?
700,000
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What does Ad Hoc mean?

Back

Decided by government

Card 3

Front

What are the key differences between referendums and elections?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is the most important form of political participation?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Define representation

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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