STV
Today we will:
Look at the impact of STV and the 2007
Scottish council elections.
You will be successful if you can:
• Describe, in detail, at least 2
consequences of STV in Scotland.
Principles of STV
• A majority of voters deserves a
majority of representation.
• Seats should fairly reflect
votes cast.
• As many people as possible
should have their vote count
toward representation.
STV in action
• Voters RANK their candidates in
order of preference.
• Idea is that everyone will get
representation by someone they
voted for.
• Seats won should much more closely
reflect the number of votes won.
STV in action
• Much less likely to get a
ONE PARTY victory like you
would under FPTP.
• Result is that COALITION
control is VERY likely
Scottish Council elections 2007
Scottish councils & elections
before 2007
• Turnout traditionally LOW for council
elections. As low as 12% some places.
• LABOUR had dominated local councils.
Many argued that FPTP gave Labour a
massive advantage.
• Many councillors were old and little
“new blood” coming through.
2007 elections
• Run on same day as S.P. elections
• The voting process was a
disaster! The number of spoiled
papers was massive.
• That was not the most notable
outcome however…
2007 Scottish council election results
• MAJORITY administrations became
a thing of the past.
• Only FIVE authorities had single
party MINORITY administrations.
The other 27 became coalitions.
• LABOUR were no longer the biggest
party in Scottish local councils – the
SNP became the biggest party.
2007 Scottish council election results
• COALITION administration was the new
order of the day. A big change.
• Many coalitions were formed to exclude
Labour (except in East Dunbartonshire
where Lab & Cons combined to keep SNP
out!!)
• Green party won some control too.
• A whole new politics was in existence: cooperation and compromise now required.
New breed of councillors
• Many “older” Councillors stepped aside
and accepted redundancy packages.
• New younger councillors were elected,
particularly in Aberdeen council.
• HOWEVER, there were no great
advances in the numbers of WOMEN
councillors or those from ETHNIC
backgrounds – up to the parties to
change this.
Deputy Lord Provost of
Aberdeen, John West (18)
Aberdeen Councillor
Callum McCaig (22)
Task
• Are you comfortable with STV?
• Read the section in the Modern
politics textbook on STV and
council elections, taking notes as
you go.
• What are you not sure about? Take
a note of any questions you have and
please ask me!