1. Lesson Starter AMS Regional Constituency 56 Party list 73
Voter Confusion
129
More Proportional
Turn the words into a ‘map’, where each connection can be explained and justified. It should show how the AMS system works when used for Scottish Parliament elections
AMS

2. Simple/Winner Take All
Lesson Starter
Two Party System
Constituency
650
Simple/Winner Take All
Not Proportional
Minority Rules
High Turnout
Strong Government
Turn the words into a ‘map’, where each connection can be explained and justified. It should show how the FPTP system works when used for UK General elections
FPTP

3. Additional Member System
Electoral Systems

4. Lesson Focus…
Explaining how the Additional Member System works
Evaluating the electoral system of the Scottish Parliament.

5. Voting in Scottish Elections
Using AMS you get two votes.
One for a candidate
- Constituency vote
One for a Political Party
List vote
This gives voters more choice:
You can vote for two different political parties if you so wish.

6. Constituency Vote Vote for a person.
Scotland is broken down into 73 constituencies
This is worked out through FPTP
Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley:
Willie Coffey (SNP)
2011 Scottish Constituency Map

7. Regional Vote
Glasgow
South Scotland
Central Scotland
Lothian
West Scotland
Mid Scotland and Fife
North East Scotland
Highlands and Islands
Scotland is split into eight additional regions (hence the term additional member system)
Each region = 7 MSPS
This is worked out using the Party List system.
The Party List is proportional. The number of votes will = the number of seats.
Example: 2011 Scottish elections Tories got 12.4% of the list vote and 12% of the seats.

8. Regional Vote
Unlike FPTP, you only need to get a % per region to be awarded a seat – you don’t need to come first to get any recognition.
D’Hondt method
This makes it fairer to smaller parties
In 2011, Green Party got 2 seats through the regional vote.
In 2003, Green and SSP got 13 out of the 56 regional seats.
This would not have been achieved through FPTP

9. Composition of the Scottish Parliament
73 Constituency MSPs 56 Regional MSPs = 129 MSPS
Majority Government requires 65 MSPS.
Election Year
Gov. Outcome
1999
Coalition: Lab/Lib Dems
2003
Coalition:
Lab/Lib Dems
2007
Minority:
SNP
2011
Majority:
A minority government where the party with the most representatives does not have over half the seats in parliament, and does not wish or cannot form a coalition.

10. Minority Gov –SNP
SNP had 49 seats and faced a combined opposition of 81.
SNP formed a minority Government.
This was the first minority administration in the Scottish Parliament and began a new form of consensus and inclusive politics.
Salmond’s government had to seek parliament’s approval ‘policy by policy’.
This made it difficult for SNP to achieve its goals.

11. Proportionality of System = FAIRER Confusion for voters
ADVANTGES of AMS
DISADVANTAGES of AMS
Proportionality of System = FAIRER
Confusion for voters
Coalition Governments Common
Choice of Candidates through Party List system?
Better Representation of the Public
Conflict: Two types of candidate
More Representative Politics

12. FOR PROPORTIONALITY - Fairer (than FPTP)
AMS produces a fairly proportional result. It is more proportional than FPTP as it takes into account the vote share a party receives and distributes it more closely related to seat share. (% of votes = % of seats)
EG/ In 2011, Labours final seat count was topped up with the Party List vote and use of d’Hondt formula. Receiving 22 seats, compared to SNP’s 16. In comparison to the UK GE vote share and seat percentage AMS is clearly seen to be more proportional, as SNP received 4.7% of total votes, yet received an overinflated 56 seats in parliament.
Analysis – why is this a good thing? Has benefits of FPTP with individual MSP’s representing constituents, yet overall representation of the people is more proportional.

13. FOR COALITION GOVERNMENT
DP - Can be effective government that is willing to listen to
different perspectives. The Labour/Liberal Democrat
coalition in the Scottish Parliament ( ) introduced
a number of policies that are dramatically different from
the views of Labour controlled Westminster.
Analysis – With more views represented through another party having a say, the Scottish Parliament could arguably be said to be more democratic; a more varied voice is being heard when implementing policy initiatives.
2007 Result
EG/ An end to tuition fees for Scottish university students. In Sept 1998, Tony Blair's government introduced them for the whole of the UK, at a rate of up to £1000. With the LB influence, Labour and LB had to reach a concession to scrap tuition fees. In Scotland.
Note Minority Government
Note 2011 – Majority Government

14. FOR BETTER REPRESENTATION
DP - AMS allows a wider variety of views to be expressed. Under FPTP, the system is dominated by the two largest parties Conservative and Labour. Under AMS, smaller parties have a better chance at greater representation.
EG/ In 2011, the Greens only received seats due to the second vote – the regional vote. They received no constituency MSPs, yet have 2 regional ones. This has further happened for LD as well, as they received more votes under the second ballot.
Analysis – giving voters choice of who to vote for is a more democratic way of voting, as voters know at least one of their votes likely to be used. Furthermore, voters have the choice of specifically voting on the basis of candidate, then party. Allowing a number of different views to be heard on their behalf.

15. FOR MORE REPRESENTATIVE POLITICS
DP – with the parties being in control of the second party list, and what order MSP’s are listed, ethnic minorities and woman can be placed higher up this list.
EG/ in 2011, Ruth Davidson, Conservative Leader, may not have been able to lead the party, unless she was placed at the top of the Conservative Party List. Impact - 35% female MSP’s, only 22% in HOC
Analysis - This may encourage a different kind of voter to participate, as many people see the HOC ‘out of touch’ with politics, as MP’s are not representative of the UK. AMS system can stop this.

16. AGAINST
CONFUSION
DP - The Scottish Parliament has constituency and regional MSPs. This may confuse people on 2 levels. One, people become unsure of whom to contact if a problem arises in their area. Also, people are put off voting because they do not understand the AMS.
EG/ When the system of AMS was introduced onto one ballot paper in 2007 there were a number of ballot papers which were spoiled due to confusion. Over 100,000 papers were spoiled, leaving many confused what they were voting for.
Analysis – Voters can become frustrated when things change electorally, resulting in many voters feeling apathetic with voting. This has resulted in lower turnout since – with only 51% of people voting in 2011.

17. AGAINST CHOICE OF CANDIDATES
DP - As the party list aspect is used, some would argue that too much power is given to the party in choosing candidates. People like to know WHO they are voting for, and not allow parties to dictate who resents them in parliament.
EG/ In most constituencies, being placed anything further down than 3rd or 4th in the party list means a candidate is highly unlikely to get elected. This explains why, in 2003, Margo MacDonald, an experienced and popular MSP resigned from the SNP and stood for election as an Independent candidate – after in house party squabbling.
Analysis - This meant that, parties can dictate who represents us, even though the people may want somebody different. For instance, if Margo did not resign and run as an Independent, she would have had no realistic hope of being elected. She ran as an Independent and won. She won again in 2007 and 2011.

18. AGAINST
CONFLICT
DP - The system elects two types of representative – constituency MSPs and Regional MSPs. Ill feeling can result from one group claiming superiority over the other. For example, constituency MSPs may think they are more important because people elected them directly. Regional MSPs may believe they have a greater workload because they represent a larger area.
EG/ In September 2015, after having a conversation with Stewart Stevenson, he expressed how some MSP’s do see themselves as more important due to being a constituency MSP. Historically, as the then Labour MP Brian Wilson described list MSPs as “a waste of space”.
Analysis - There is an element of rivalry between constituency and List MSPs, leaving a “us” and “them” mentality in politics. Constituency MSPs tend to see themselves as the "real" MSP for the constituency. List MSPs ‘elected through the back door’.

19. Explain why the statements below are WRONG:
Plenary Task
Explain why the statements below are WRONG:
AMS is a plurality style electoral system
AMS elections produce higher voter turnouts than FPTP elections
AMS produces strong governments at every election.

20. Was I successful?
I can identify the voting system used in the SP elections.
I can describe how the voting system works.
I can evaluate what works well and what doesn’t within the voting system.

21. Evaluate the effectiveness of an electoral system you have studied in providing fair representation.
You should refer to electoral systems used in Scotland or the UK or both in your answer. 12