Electoral Systems

Why do we have elections?

Should all citizens be allowed to vote?

What is happening ?

What is happening?

What is happening?

Elections are central to Democracy-

•The allow people COLLECTIVELY to decide who should govern them.•Democracies should be free from CORRUPTION * Who can we elect ?

What do voters hope to gain from elections?

•A new Government?•Manifesto promises fulfilled?•A representative who will listen to their views?•“Listen to the people”•Democracy is “Government of the people by the people and for the people”

The method used to decide who our representativesWill be is called an

Different types of Electoral Systems are used in different countries

UK is divided up into areasCalled

In each constituency the electorate Use their first vote to vote or a candidate of their choice. The Candidate with the most votes wins in theConstituency and becomes an MP.He/She wins a Constituency seat.

The voting The voting system in system in the UK – 1.the UK – 1.

This map of the UK shows each of the 646 constituencies that are represented by a single MP in the House of Commons. Each one contains roughly 67, 000 constituents.

The results shown are for the General Election held in 2000.

How to vote

• Cross on ballot paper for candidate of your choice

• vote in constituencies• candidate with more

votes than anyone else wins

Constituency Result

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

Labour LibDems

No. ofvotes

• Winning candidate has more votes than anyone else

• all other candidates ‘lose’

• majority = 1st - 2nd

Aberdeen Central 2001

Candidate/ Party No. of votes

Frank Doran/ Labour 12,025

SNP 5,379

Lib Dem 4,547

Cons 3,761

Other 717

Majority 6,646

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Map of The United Kingdom Political Map of The United Kingdom

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Political Map of The United Kingdom

Party MPs/Seats MPs/% vote Labour 356 33.3%

Conservatives 198 32.3% Lib Dems 62 22.1% SNP 6 1.5% Others 24 8.8% Majority

2005 General Election

What is the Governments majority?

National Results 2001 2005

Party MPs/Seats MPs/% vote Labour 413 356 33.3% Conservatives 166 198 32.3% Lib Dems 52 62 22.1% SNP 9 6 1.5% Others 19 24 8.8% Majority 167