Student Resources - Chapter three
- Chapter Summary
- Matching Exercise
- Further reading
- Internet links
- Multiple Choice Quiz
- Worksheet 1
- Worksheet 2
Chapter 3 Elections and Electoral Reform
SETTING THE SCENE
In the previous chapter we discussed representative democracy and participation, and these themes are now explored in greater depth. The most significant way in which people participate in politics is through voting for their representatives in elections. Over the years, the way in which we vote in Britain has been subject to scrutiny and debate and there have been calls for a major reform of the electoral system. The system used in the UK until recently for all elections was called the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, but in other countries a variety of other systems have been used, based on proportional representation (PR). As a result of the criticisms of FPTP, there have been changes made to methods of voting in recent years, especially when new opportunities to hold elections have arisen, in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and London, and also in connection with the elections for the European Parliament.
KEY TOPICS
- The British first-past-the-post electoral system
- An evaluation of the first-past-the-post system
- Proportional representation, majoritarian and hybrid systems
- An evaluation of proportional representation
- Electoral reform in Britain since 1997
Are any of the terms below unclear to you? If so, perhaps you should look over this chapter or use the searchable glossary to familiarise yourself with these terms.
- First-past-the-post
- Electoral Mandate
- Majoritarian electoral system
- Proportional Representation
- Hybrid electoral system
Matching Exercise: Chapter Three
| First-past-the-post (FPTP) | An electoral system which involves two or more candidates standing for election, the electors being given one vote each, and the candidate who wins most votes being declared the winner |
| Electoral mandate | under an electoral system run according to this principle, the number of votes cast for each party is matched more or less exactly by the proportion of seats in the assembly allocated to each party |
| Majoritarian electoral system | An electoral system which combines features of FPTP and PR, or even combines features of majoritarian and PR systems. |
| Proportional representation | The authority to implement a programme or policy given to a government as a result of winning an election. |
| Hybrid electoral system | An electoral system which ensures that the winning candidate is elected with an absolute majority (more than 50 per cent) of the vote |
Further reading for Chapter Three
D. Butler and D. Kavanagh, The British General Election of 2005 (Palgrave, 2005): detailed analysis of the 2005 general election.
D. Farrell, Comparing Electoral Systems (Prentice Hall, 1997): careful dissection and comparison of the main electoral systems used around the world.
Websites
- www.electoralcommission.gov.uk (Electoral Commission, the official body which regulates elections)
- www.electoral-reform.org.uk (Electoral Reform Society, a group which campaigns for electoral reform
Multiple Choice Quiz 3
Click here to access the Multiple Choice Quiz for this Chapter.
Worksheet 1
Download Worksheet 1 Elections in the UK the basics - handout
Worksheet 2
Download Worksheet 2 Electoral System - handout
