Is First-Past-The-Post Fair?
You can be elected with less
than 50% of the votes
Name
Party
Votes
%
Eric Joyce
Labour
23,207 45.7 -5.1
John McNally
Scottish National Party
15,364 30.3 +8.9
Katie Mackie
Conservative
5,698
11.2 +1.3
Kieran Leach
Liberal Democrat
5,225
10.3 -5.7
Brian Goldie
UK Independence Party 1,283
2.5
+/-
+2.5
Majority
7,843
15.4
Turnout
50,777 62.0 +2.4
Parties can win lots of seats
with a very small majority.
There are no prizes for second
place
Name
Party
Votes
%
Eric Joyce
Labour
23,207 45.7 -5.1 Winner!!
John McNally
Scottish National Party
15,364 30.3 +8.9
Katie Mackie
Conservative
5,698
11.2 +1.3
Kieran Leach
Liberal Democrat
5,225
10.3 -5.7
Brian Goldie
UK Independence Party 1,283
2.5
+/-
+2.5
Majority
7,843
15.4
Turnout
50,777 62.0 +2.4
Votes are wasted
Votes cast for smaller parties
in constituencies with a
large majority are
effectively wasted.
Over 27,000 votes are
effectively wasted in this
constituency.
Name
Party
Votes
%
+/-
Eric Joyce
Labour
23,207
45.7
-5.1
John McNally
Scottish National Party
15,364
30.3
+8.9
Katie Mackie
Conservative
5,698
11.2
+1.3
Kieran Leach
Liberal Democrat
5,225
10.3
-5.7
Brian Goldie
UK Independence Party
1,283
2.5
+2.5
Majority
7,843
15.4
Turnout
50,777
62.0
+2.4
The number of seats in the House of
Commons is not in line with the % of votes
received
2005 Election Results
Labour
Conservatives
Lib Dems
SNP
Seats
Votes
356 (55.1%)
198 (30.7%)
62 (9.6%)
6 (0.9%)
35.3%
32.4%
22.1%
1.5%
Labour won the election and formed the
Government – notice they had more than
50% of the seats!
Most governments have more people
voting against them than for them –
democratic?
2010 Election Results
Conservatives
Labour
Lib Dems
DUP
SNP
Seats
Votes
307
258
57
8
6
36.1%
29%
23%
0.6%
1.7%
The Conservatives only got 36.1% of the
votes so 63.9% of votes were cast against
the Conservatives!
A party can come second in a number
of constituencies but potentially get
no seats
Constituencies must be won before
a party wins a ‘seat’ and therefore
representation in Parliament
Fair and easy system for voters
to understand
2010 Election Results
Conservatives
Labour
Lib Dems
DUP
SNP
Seats
Votes
307
258
57
8
6
36.1%
29%
23%
0.6%
1.7%
The candidate/party with the most votes
wins – they have received more votes
than any other party!
Simple to operate and quick
result
You put an X next
to the candidate
you want to
represent your
area
(constituency).
Results can be
counted quickly
and declared!
The vote is cast for a
person/party and they will be
represent that constituency
You know exactly who you are voting for
It avoids coalitions – where two
parties have to work together
to have a majority in parliament
Labour - 46
SNP - 47
Scottish Parliament Election
Results (2007)
Lib Dems -15
Tories - 18
Independents - 1
Greens - 2
Nobody voted for a coalition – democracy?
Usually one party gains a
majority
This creates a strong Government
and they can be judged on the
decisions they make – not a
coalition