Lesson StarterTurnout in elections can

be low.

What do you think is the most persuasive reason to vote and why?

Voter apathy is a lack of caring by voters in an election and often leads to low turnout. List at least 3 reasons voters might be apathetic.

Today we will…

•Identify the different types of voting systems used in elections in the UK.

Success Criteria• I can illustrate my

understanding of the different voting systems by taking part in a class election.

• I can describe the way in which the Additional Member System works.

• I can list and explain the advantages and disadvantages of AMS.

The Election Campaign •On election day, voters go along to a polling station-usually a primary school or library etc and report to the polling clerk. This person checks your name against the electoral roll – (a list of everyone eligible to vote).•Next you are given a ballot paperVoters choose the candidate they want to win by placing an X next to the candidate’s name – completed ballot papers are then placed in a ballot box.•At the end of the day, all of the ballot boxes are taken to a central location and the votes are counted.The candidate with the most votes is declared the winner.

Voting Systems• There are two

main types of voting in the UK

1. First Past the Post (FPTP)

2. Proportional Representation (PR)

Voting Systems1. First Past the Post (FPTP)This is when the candidate with the

most votes is electedCONSERVATIVE

LABOUR

LIBERALDEMOCRATS

Voting Systems2. Proportional

Representation (PR)

This is when the number of votes a party gets = a proportional number of seats

What do we mean by proportional?

• If 4 people were to share a cake equally, each person would get one quarter or 25%

• Each gets a fair proportion

What do we mean by proportional?

• With PR, the number of votes a party gets is roughly equal to the number of seats in parliament the party gets.

• E.g. if a party gets 25% of the vote, they get 25% of the seats

Voting Systems2. Proportional

Representation (PR)

So in PR, you vote for a party rather than a candidate

The party chooses who gets the seat from a list of their best people

Election Rules…• You have one vote in

each election

• Put an “X” beside your chosen candidate/party

• Fold once and put in ballot box

Class Election• We will have 2 elections – one FPTP and

one PR

1. FPTP – candidates:

John Smith – LabourDavid Anderson – ConservativeHarry Hill – Liberal DemocratJock McDonald - SNPJock McDonald - SNP

FPTP Results…Candidate Party Votes

John Smith Labour

David Anderson

Conservative

Harry Hill Liberal Democrat

Jock McDonald

SNP

Winner =

Class Election• We will have 2 elections – one FPTP and

one PR

2. PR – parties:

LabourConservativeLiberal DemocratSNPSNP

PR Results…

Party Votes MSPs gained

Labour

Conservative

Liberal Democrats

SNP

2 votes = 1 MSP

Party ListsLabour

1. John Grey

2. Diane Abbott

3. Margaret Curran

4. David Blunkett

5. Tony Benn

Conservative

1. Annabel Goldie

2. Ruth Davidson

3. Jackson Carlaw

4. David Cameron

Liberal Democrats

1. Nick Clegg

2. Paddy Ashdown

3. Charles Kennedy

4. Tavish ScottSNPSNP

1. John Mason

2. Nicola Sturgeon

3. Kenny MacAskill

4. John Swinney

Task

Write a list of the names of MSPs elected using the PR system.

How does the AMS work?

•Watch this short clip first

Lesson Starter

1. Write down one advantage and one disadvantage of the First Past the Post system.

2. Write down one advantage and one disadvantage of Proportional Representation systems.

The Additional Member System

•The system used for elections to the Scottish Parliament is a type of PR called the Additional Members system (AMS)

•It combines FPTP used in the UK elections and PR (hybrid system) •FPTP + PR =AMS

•Elections for the SP take place every 4 years the last election was 5th May 2011.•The elected representatives in the Scottish Parliament are known as Members of the Scottish Parliament or MSPs.

Scotland is split up into 73 different CONSTITUENCIES. Your constituency is either GLASGOW SHETTLESTON or GLASGOW PROVAN. It is also split up into 8 different REGIONS. Your region is Glasgow.

Each constituency has 1 MSP Each region has 7 MSPs

How many MSPs are there?

Additional Member Additional Member System (AMS)System (AMS)

There are 73 Constituency MSPs and 56 Regional MSPs. Altogether, there are 129 MSPs. Regions of Scotland

There are 8 regions of Scotland:West of Scotland, Lothians,South Scotland, Central Scotland,Mid Scotland and Fife, Glasgow,North East Scotland, Highlands and Islands

Paper 2Peach

Voting for regional MSP’s

1 X for a partyUses PR

Paper 1Purple

Voting for constituency MSP

1 X for 1 candidateUses FPTP

Paper 1The first ballot paper is to elect an MSP to represent the people in a constituency (FPTP)There are 73 constituencies for the Scottish Parliament.Voters put a cross against the name of the candidate they want to represent them in their constituency.

Paper 2The second ballot paper elects MSPs to the 8 regions of ScotlandEach region has 7 Regional MSPs or list MSPs as they are sometimes known.Voters put an X next to the party they want to represent them in the regionThe second ballot paper makes sure that the result of the election is fair, if a party gets 20% of the votes in this ballot it will get 20% of the seats.

Task: AMS Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages Disadvantages

Using the cut and sort sheet on the following page complete the table for the advantages

and disadvantages of the AMS system

The Additional Member System (AMS), used to elect the Scottish Parliament, has both advantages and disadvantages.

Explain, in detail, the advantages and disadvantages of the Additional Member System (AMS) which is used to elect the Scottish Parliament. (8)

Was I successful? • I can illustrate my

understanding of the different voting systems by taking part in a class election.

• I can describe the way in which the Additional Member System works.

• I can list and explain the advantages and disadvantages of AMS.