Electoral Reform

Electoral Reform

When looking at Electoral Reform it is important to understand that

there are many factors that effect whether a particular electoral

system is effective in producing the results it is needed to. For

example, in some situations it is important for the results to be

conclusive, to sway in one particular direction so that things can be

implemented. Yet in other situations it does not matter because

people are only voting for one of two options and results are

therefore conclusive and can only go one way or the other. Therefore

it is important that there are different electoral systems because not

all systems would be suited to the situation.

Due to first past the post being seen as an unrepresentative voting

system there are many supporters of electoral reform. However, when

thinking about Electoral Reform it is important to note that anyone

who has power is unlikely to want to give it away. Therefore due to

this, those who can get to power by first past the post (Labour) will

not want reform, and those who cannot get to power by first past the

post (Liberal-democrats and other minority parties) will want it. Yet

even though first past the post is unrepresentative due to the

constituent candidates it is however very effective at being able to

produce decisive governments. It is a plurality system, and this way

parties can campaign with a clear manifesto and will then have enough

power to implement it if they get elected. With the first past the

post system the constituents also is therefore able to vote within

their constituency for the party they wish to see govern and following

on from this, they expect t...

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had significant but not majority support and therefore the link

between the MP and his/her constituency should be maintained. Also is

order to cause the least confusion the new system should be simple and

involve as few changes as possible.

All these points suggest that the new system should provide the

individual voter with more power. Looking at all these points, it was

decided that the single transferable vote (STV) and Additional member

system (AMS) satisfied almost all of these conditions and therefore if

the British electoral system was to be reformed it would be replaced

these systems. This is backed up by the fact that according the Lord

Jenkins’ independent commission on Electoral reform the STV vote came

out on top with 14 points in total out of a maximum of 20 where each

system was reviewed.