The Politics Association

AS Government and Politics

Powerpoint Presentation - 3

Elections in the UK

UK Elections – how many chances to vote?

ParishElections

Mayoral Elections

European ParliamentElections

BoroughCouncil

ElectionsCounty Council

Elections

Parliamentary

Elections(General

Elections)

Northern Ireland

Assembly

ScottishParliament

,Welsh

Assembly

Can he vote?

NONO

•Member of the House of Lords

•Detained under Mental Health Act

•In prison

•Conviction of corrupt / illegal electoral practice in last five years.

YESYES

•Over 18

•On the electoral register

•Commonwealth citizen, Rep. Of Ireland citizen – resident in UK

•UK citizens living abroad up to 2o years

Which means . . .

He can’t vote . . . But Kylie can . . .

It’s useful to know a bit of the history…

• 1832 – Great Reform Act

•1867 – Second Reform Act

•1884/5 – Third Reform Act

None of the 19th century reforms gave women the vote.

By the end of the 19th century only 28% of the adult population had the opportunity to vote.

Property became less an less important as a qualification to vote.

and in the 20th century . . .

‘Votes for Women’

•Women had been campaigning since 1867.

•Suffragettes and Suffragists organised campaigns in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

•The campaign was disrupted by World War One, yet the political argument appeared to have been won.

Representation of the People Act 1918•Electorate rises from 7.7m to 21.4m.•All men over 21 and women over 30given vote.

Equal Franchise Act 1928•Women given vote on same termsas men.•5m new voters created.

Representation of the People Act 1949•Business & undergraduate votesabolished.•6 month residence qualification removed.

Minimum voting age lowered to 18 in 1969.

Who can stand for Parliament?• Aged 21 or over?• A British citizen?• Bankrupt?• A member of the judiciary?• In prison?• A vicar?• Member of the Lords?• Police officer?• In the army?• A civil servant?• Local government officer?

You also need . . .

•Nomination papers•£500 deposit

• Strict spending limits.•Election spending is audited.•Neill Report (1988) - recommended cap on election spending.

Lord Neill

The UK electoral system

• A simple plurality system known as ‘first past the post’.

• 650 single member constituencies send one MP each to Westminster.

• Candidate with largest number of votes in a constituency wins.

• Party with greatest number of seats in Parliament wins.

It works like this

(2001 Election)LabourLabour

10.7 million votes.

42% of votes cast.

413 seats.

ConservativesConservatives

8.4 million votes.

33% of votes cast.

166 seats.

Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats

4.8 million votes

19% of votes cast.

52 seats.

Local electionsLocal elections• Same electoral system as

Parliament.• Councillors elected for 4

year terms.• Different councils elect

councillors at different times.

• Turnout - poor (35% in 2002) a major issue for local politics.

• Some experiments with postal & online voting.

European electionsEuropean elections• Held to elect Members of

the European Parliament (MEPs).

• UK has 87 MEPs.• Elections every 5 years.• ‘Closed list’ system.• Lords, clergy may stand.• Possible to stand in

country NOT your home state.

• Turnout poor (24% in 1999).

Local & European Elections

Scottish Parliament Elections• First elected in 1999• Elected by Additional Member System• 129 MSPs• 73 Constituencies• 73 MSPs – elected by simple majority• 56 MSPs – elected in regions by closed list• Each voter casts two votes• 1999 – Conservatives win NO seats in constituencies yet

gained 18 seats through closed list top-up in regions.• 1999 election – no overall majority – Scottish Parliament

is therefore a coalition.• 2007 election – SNP minority govt• 2011 – SNP majority govt

Welsh Assembly

• First elected in 1999

• Elected by AMS

• 60 MWAs - 40 constituencies

• 40 MWAs elected in constituencies by simple majority

• 20 MWAs elected in regions using closed list

• Each voter casts two votes

• 1999 – Conservatives won 1 seat in constituencies topped-up to 8 through the regions

• 1999 election – no overall majority

• Lib-Lab coalition

• 2007 Lab – PC coalition

• 2011 Lab minority govt

Northern Ireland Assembly

• Product of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement• Assembly has 108 members• Elected in June 1998 by STV• Turnout 69% - higher than Scotland & Wales• Governing Executive – 12 assembly members• Assembly has been suspended• 2011 – DUP and Sinn Fein

remain largest parties