POLI SCI TEST FINAL!! EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE
What is an electoral system?
-Electoral system refers to rules that govern how people vote at elections and how votes
translate into representation and government
-It defines the threshold for deeming a candidate elected (rules for how people win
office through a vote)
What are the types of electoral systems?
Three broad types:
-Plurality
-Majoritarian systems
-Proportional representation system
What is the plurality (Single Member Plurality, SMP) system?
-First-past-the-post (FPTP) or winner-takes-all electoral system
-Voters in each electoral district elect a single representative to the legislature
-The candidate who receives the most votes wins the seat, even if that candidate does
not get the majority of votes (majority refers to >50)
-Canada, Ghana, India, the US (except the state of Georgia), UK to choose legislators
How does the plurality system work in Canada? (use as an example)
-Canada=Single Member Plurality (SPM)
-One member of Parliament (MP) per each riding (the candidate who gets the most
votes)
-Government=party that gets the most seats (MPs)
ex: Lasalle-Emard-Verdun riding votes a liberal MP = one seat for the liberals
Is the government determined by votes?
-NOT NECESSARILY --> government is determined by seats
-A government could obtain the most votes but still not win enough seats to be the
government
What are some advantages of the SMP?
-Simple method for choosing a representative
-Tends to produce more majority and stable governments
-Direct accountability between representatives and voters
What are the disadvantages SMP?
-Distorting effects:
•The translation of votes into seats in the legislature may be inaccurate
•The most popular party may not form government
, -Favors large political parties to the disadvantage of minor parties
-Unfair representation
•Under-representation of minority groups
•No representation for losing candidates' supporters
What are the alternatives to the SMP?
Majoritarian and proportional systems
Majoritarian system?
-The winning candidate or party is the one who gets a majority (>50%) of the votes
-Types:
•Runoff or second-round
•Ranked ballot, alternative vote or preferential voting
What is a runoff or second-round ?
-If no candidate obtains a majority of votes (>50%)
-Candidates with the lowest votes are eliminated
-Voting happens again
-Top two candidates appear on the ballot
-Repeat until one candidate gets >50%
What is a ranked ballot (Alternative voting/ranked-choice/preferential
voting/instant-runoff)?
-Voters rank candidates in their electoral district according to their preference
-The winning candidate must obtain >50% first preference votes
-If no candidate gets >50% on first count, the candidate with the lowest votes is
eliminated and the second preference votes for that candidate are given to the
remaining candidates
-Repeat until one candidate gets >50%
Example: Australia
What is a proportional representation system?
-The number of seats a party receives equals its share of popular votes
-Multimember electoral district: an electoral district has many representatives
•The whole country may be treated as one electoral district....
•...or one electoral district may have multiple representatives
What is the mixed Member Proportional System (MMP)?
-Combines SMP and PR in a multimember electoral district
-Voters in an electoral district cast two votes:
•One vote for their preferred candidate to serve as their representative (plurality)
•A second vote for their preferred party to fill legislative seats based on proportionality
-Germany, New Zealand
What are the pros/advantages of the PR system?
-Accurate reflection of a party's popular support
-Many parties get represented in the legislature
-Fair representation for small parties
-Greater representation for minority groups
ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE
What is an electoral system?
-Electoral system refers to rules that govern how people vote at elections and how votes
translate into representation and government
-It defines the threshold for deeming a candidate elected (rules for how people win
office through a vote)
What are the types of electoral systems?
Three broad types:
-Plurality
-Majoritarian systems
-Proportional representation system
What is the plurality (Single Member Plurality, SMP) system?
-First-past-the-post (FPTP) or winner-takes-all electoral system
-Voters in each electoral district elect a single representative to the legislature
-The candidate who receives the most votes wins the seat, even if that candidate does
not get the majority of votes (majority refers to >50)
-Canada, Ghana, India, the US (except the state of Georgia), UK to choose legislators
How does the plurality system work in Canada? (use as an example)
-Canada=Single Member Plurality (SPM)
-One member of Parliament (MP) per each riding (the candidate who gets the most
votes)
-Government=party that gets the most seats (MPs)
ex: Lasalle-Emard-Verdun riding votes a liberal MP = one seat for the liberals
Is the government determined by votes?
-NOT NECESSARILY --> government is determined by seats
-A government could obtain the most votes but still not win enough seats to be the
government
What are some advantages of the SMP?
-Simple method for choosing a representative
-Tends to produce more majority and stable governments
-Direct accountability between representatives and voters
What are the disadvantages SMP?
-Distorting effects:
•The translation of votes into seats in the legislature may be inaccurate
•The most popular party may not form government
, -Favors large political parties to the disadvantage of minor parties
-Unfair representation
•Under-representation of minority groups
•No representation for losing candidates' supporters
What are the alternatives to the SMP?
Majoritarian and proportional systems
Majoritarian system?
-The winning candidate or party is the one who gets a majority (>50%) of the votes
-Types:
•Runoff or second-round
•Ranked ballot, alternative vote or preferential voting
What is a runoff or second-round ?
-If no candidate obtains a majority of votes (>50%)
-Candidates with the lowest votes are eliminated
-Voting happens again
-Top two candidates appear on the ballot
-Repeat until one candidate gets >50%
What is a ranked ballot (Alternative voting/ranked-choice/preferential
voting/instant-runoff)?
-Voters rank candidates in their electoral district according to their preference
-The winning candidate must obtain >50% first preference votes
-If no candidate gets >50% on first count, the candidate with the lowest votes is
eliminated and the second preference votes for that candidate are given to the
remaining candidates
-Repeat until one candidate gets >50%
Example: Australia
What is a proportional representation system?
-The number of seats a party receives equals its share of popular votes
-Multimember electoral district: an electoral district has many representatives
•The whole country may be treated as one electoral district....
•...or one electoral district may have multiple representatives
What is the mixed Member Proportional System (MMP)?
-Combines SMP and PR in a multimember electoral district
-Voters in an electoral district cast two votes:
•One vote for their preferred candidate to serve as their representative (plurality)
•A second vote for their preferred party to fill legislative seats based on proportionality
-Germany, New Zealand
What are the pros/advantages of the PR system?
-Accurate reflection of a party's popular support
-Many parties get represented in the legislature
-Fair representation for small parties
-Greater representation for minority groups
