The Additional Member System
Potential Exam Question
Explain, in detail, the advantages and disadvantages of
the Additional Member System of voting.
(8 marks)
What to include in this answer
This is a ‘catch all’ question and would be a really good question
for you to get in the exam.
In it, you can draw on all that you have learned about how the
Additional Member System works.
You need to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of AMS.
Election Results Since 1999
How does AMS work?
Watch the BBC video clip about AMS.
When watching the video clip think about possible
advantages and disadvantages of AMS.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/standard/modern/living_de
mocracy/politics_in_scotland/revision/1/
Advantages of AMS
Advantages
Examples
Working in pairs try to come up with three
advantages of AMS – try to include examples.
Advantages of AMS
Advantages
Examples
Makes the election results more
proportional − the MSPs elected
more accurately reflect the views
of the Scottish people
Maintains the link between
constituent and constituency MSP
E.g. Labour got 29% of the vote
in 2011 and 37 MSPs elected –
around 29% of the seats.
AMS has helped smaller parties
win seats
E.g. people in Cumbernauld know
that their local MSP is Jamie
Hepburn.
E.g. the Green Party has two
MSPs.
Disadvantages of AMS
Disadvantages
Examples
Working in pairs try to come up with three
disadvantages of AMS – try to include examples.
Disadvantages of AMS
Disadvantages
Examples
Can result in minority government or E.g. SNP 2007 – 2011 was a minority
coalition government
government – this made it difficult
to pass laws, such as, budgets.
Break the link between constituents
and the seven regional MSPs
I.e. political parties decide who
becomes regional MSPs – not voters
e.g. the Conservatives decided
Margaret Mitchell would be a
regional MSP.
AMS can confuse voters – how it
works – what MSPs should they
contact
E.g. people might not be sure
whether they should contact Jamie
Hepburn (constituency MSP) or a
regional MSP.
Answer the question
Explain, in detail, the advantages and disadvantages of the
Additional Member System of voting.
(8 marks)