Uk Election Process

Uk Election Process
Publicity and Electioneering Activities
It is important that a candidate becomes well known in the area they are hoping to represent and to this end they will often undertake a great deal of
publicity work, such as leafleting houses, displaying posters, and canvassing door–to–door for votes. Publicity costs money and so the more wealthy
parties will have an advantage. In addition, during a general election you will often see party political broadcasts for the main parties outlining their
policies. This is because they can afford publicity campaigns that include film–making.
Voting Processes Used
As technology has evolved there have become more ways to cast a vote than ever before. Most people are familiar with the traditional way of ... Show
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These can then lead to bigger elections down the line. An election period can last for anything from 1 year up to 5 years. A mayor will serve for 1 year;
a local councillor will serve for up to 4 years and an MP will serve for up to 5 years. The Prime minister will serve up to 5 years and can call an election
whenever they want in this time period, they will usually call for an election after a successful or something that will make them be favoured by the
public to increase their chance of being re–elected.
The Influence of the Party System on Elections
Political parties have a tremendous amount of influence on the election process. Firstly and most importantly, the political party in power is the one
who chooses when to have a general election. This means they can call a general election at any time within the five–year period that suits them and
makes it more likely for them to win. The party in power is likely to have the funds to support their candidates and the resources for publicity to help
them win the seat. This puts smaller parties and independent candidates at a distinct disadvantage.
The Influence of the Party System on Elections
Political parties have a tremendous amount of influence on the election process. Firstly and most importantly, the political party in power is the one
who chooses when to have a general election. This means they can call a general election at any time within the five–year period that suits
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Functions Of Political Parties
Political parties are the fundamental building blocks of the systems of government of modern democracies. The Founding Fathers of our nation
despised and feared the threat of factions forming inside the government. They viewed such 'parties' as threats to the sovereignty of the minority and
allowed the majority to inflict tyranny. However, in the modern American political landscape, political parties organize voters, unify similar political
positions, and allow the efficient creation of policy. European political parties differ greatly from American parties, due to the governmental system of
representation established by the creators of the United States.
Votingwell is not easy. Voting for effective change requires knowledge of current issues and an understanding of the political system. Political parties
simplify the process of effective voting by creating platforms that explain the issues and present solutions to problems. Political platforms often include
websites with explanations of local and national problems and the solutions the various parties propose to solve them. Candidates give speeches that
outline their plans for solving problems. Political parties also organize voter outreach, activism, and advertisements, which are targeted at voters to
persuade them and present the issues to them clearly. Political parties serve the function of making voting for issues that affect citizens easier by
allowing them to identify candidates that support their needs.
The vast

Advantages Of The Electoral System
Is the Electoral System in the UK satisfactory?
An Electoral System which can also be referred to as Voting systems, involve the processes by which we elect candidates. This ascertains the norms on
how parties and representatives are chosen. In the United Kingdom, there are different systems for the voting of The House of Commons, devolved
assemblies and mayors. The Commons and the House of Lords also use different kind of voting methods for internal elections. There are various types
of systems that are utilised to elect mayors and representatives to the House of Commons, Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales, Northern
Ireland Assembly, European Parliament and UK local authorities.
One of the most contested systems, but also a prevalent one in many countries like India and Canada, is the First Past The Post System. It is seen as
one of the easiest systems, and is often also referred to as the winner–takes–all system. The winner of the election will be the candidate who garners
more votes than the others, simply put. The voter is given names of the different candidates and simply has to chose one of them. In England and
Wales, this system is used for local elections as well as to choose Ministers to the House of Commons. In this system, particular regions are divided
into numerous constituencies and voters are supposed to mark ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It is almost a replica of the Alternative Vote, with the only distinction that only a first and second preference choice is offered to the people voting.
After tabulation, if one candidate has not gotten more than half the votes, the top two contenders with the highest votes are kept. The second
preferences on the papers of the eliminated candidates are counted and any cast for the two remaining candidates are transferred. The candidate which
at the end of this process has the highest number of votes is then

The Electoral System
Electoral systems have shown to be one of the most stable democratic institutions. The small changing of rules and regulations with respect to the
administration of elections is common practice and encouraged through various amendments (Norris, 1997: 297). Maurice Duverger in 1946 stated the
effects of the electoral system and after analysis formulated three sociological laws. He concluded that a majority vote with a one–ballot formula leads
to a two–party system, proportional representation tends to multipartism and a majority vote with a two–ballot formula contributes towards a multiparty
system and promotes the forming of coalitions (Duverger, 1972: 23). Through the consequences of "under–representation" and "polarisation" a
majority vote with a one–ballot formula badly affects third parties (and any other parties thereafter). Subsequently, this leads to a two–party system. I
will be arguing for Duverger's law with reference to the 1964 British Liberal party. I will also be critiquing Duverger's second and third laws,
proportional representation and a majority vote with a two–ballot formula both tending to multipartism. The argument stems from the notion that
proportional representation ensures no matter how ineffective the minority is, the party is assured representation within the legislature and
multipartism occurs (Norris, 1997: 303; Duverger, 1972: 24). This concept will be explained with reference to the Belgian Liberal Party in the early
1900s. Finally, I

The Democracy Of Canadian Society
Canadians, like citizens of numerous countries around the world, take pride in living in a democratic nation. While Canada is unequivocally a
democracy, there are certain aspects of the system that call into question its true democratic nature. The electoral system Canada currently has in place
is undemocratic and unjust, as it undermines millions of citizens' rights to vote. This has influenced a great deal of subsequent apathy and indifference
toward politics in the masses, and democracy no longer seems to be a benchmark of Canadian society.
It is imperative that Canada implement sweeping electoral reform to reintroduce balance and fairness into politics, and reinject democracy into
Canadian society. The current First Past the Post, or... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The first step is the same; votes are tallied up for candidates, and whichever ones have the most votes are sent to Parliament Hill. This step fills only
half the seats in the House of Commons. Once this process is completed, attention shifts to the second part of the ballot, as individual votes for each
party are counted. Once these numbers are announced, the remaining half of the seats are distributed among all parties, in accordance with how
many seats had already been won in the first step, to ensure the final seat count is proportionate to the percentage of votes each party received. Since
the second half of the seats are assigned to a party and not to a specific candidate, it is the parties duty to make a list of the candidates, those of which
were not elected within a riding, that they would like to appoint to enter parliament. Not only is the riding system and local representation maintained,
but MMP also introduces a system where proportionality and equal representation also takes precedence ("Mixed Member Proportional Representation
Explained").
It should be noted that certain parts of Canada have attempted to usher in electoral reform in the past. Alas, when various types of reform, including
mixed member proportional and single transferable vote, were proposed to voters in

Electoral System Of The Modern World Essay
Representative democracies all require an electoral system of some sort to serve as the method for electing their representatives. One of the most
commonly used electoral systems in the modern world is the first past the post electoral system. In the UK, the first past the post (FPTP) system is the
voting method used to elect Members of Parliament to their seats in the House of Commons, and is also the means used to elect the Prime Minister. By
design, the system results in the outright victory of whichever person or party gets the majority of their constituents' votes, regardless of how narrow
their margin of victory may have been. This system commonly results in one–party majority governments, with extensive influence, being voted into
power. There are 58 countries around the world that use the first past the post voting system including; The United States, Canada, India, Bangladesh
and many others. Most European countries do not use the FPTP system and have instead opted for the system of proportional representation, which
means that the distribution of seats in their parliaments directly correlates with the percentage of the vote that each political party receives. This essay
will look at the political consequences of the first past the post system in the UK and discuss some of the positive and negative effects of the system.
One of the aspects of the FPTP system, sometimes referred to as 'plurality', is its propensity to produce large majority governments, rather than

Democratization And Afghanist Changes Essay
Democratization and Afghanistan: Changes Needed to Stabilize Afghan Democracy
Executive Summary: In 2001, the Bonn agreement laid out the framework for a democracy in Afghanistan, however, the transition to democracy has
been met with many challenges. The establishment of a bicameral legislature, popularly elected president, and the restoration of civil liberties showed
hope for democratization, but the institutions established in the country fail to provide the stability needed for Afghanistan to successfully transition to
a democratic regime (Zain 84; Reynolds 104,105). New electoral systems are essential to providing stability and legitimacy to democracy in
Afghanistan and balancing ethnic interests in a nation marked by strong ethnic cleavages.
Context and Importance of Problem: Afghanistan has experienced political instability and conflict. After the Soviet invasion in 1979, Afghani
mujahedeen waged a jihad against the communist government. In 1989, the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan, but the civil war continued until
1996, when the Taliban seized Kabul and introduced fundamentalist Sharia policies. After the September 11 attack on the United States, the U.S. and
their NATO allies began bombing Afghanistan. When the Anti
–Taliban Northern Alliance forces took Kabul, the Taliban were overthrown (Rubin
63–65). In December 2001, the Bonn Agreement set up a foundation for establishing a democracy in Afghanistan. The agreement sought to set up an
interim

Progressive Tax
Progressive Tax vs. Flat Tax
The United States economy, as known by all, is not in its best shape. One way in which the government gains money is by imposing taxes on people.
There are many taxes that are placed on different things that everyone needs or already has. The United States uses a taxation system which is
criticized by many. The system used in Progressive Tax; however, many people believe the system of Flat Tax, orProportional Tax, should be the
system that is used for taxing. In a Progressive Tax system, a larger percentage of income is taken from those who are wealthy or have a large annual
income, in taxes. Those who have low incomes do not have as high tax percentage to pay because progressive tax is based on ... Show more content on
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Also many people can find ways around taxes, both legal and illegal, so they don't pay as much as they should be. The supporters of the Flat Tax
system are quick to point out this system's attributes but not as quickly as the criticisms by those who oppose it. The filing of taxes each year
would be much easier because there would be one set rate to pay. This type of system also discourages, and makes it almost impossible, to find and
use any existing schemes that are present to avoid paying taxes. However, because there is a set rate at which everyone needs to pay, this system
is quite unfair. Those who earn and have a lot of money should not pay the same amount as someone who has only a fraction of their wealth. The
wealthier you are, the more you should pay because you can afford it. If there is a set tax rate it would be too high to some people and pocket
change to others. A system like this also takes away many, if not all tax deductions. An event like this would cause irreparable injury to the middle
class, who often times rely heavily on money they will get back from tax deductions. If I could choose which tax system I would not use either one
because of the way they are both set up. I would incorporate elements from both tax systems to create a better, more efficient, and fairer tax system. I
do agree with the ideas of the Progressive Tax system. The more money that a

Should Fptp Be Reformed?
Should the Electoral system used in general elections in the UK be reformed? The election system that we currently have in the UK is a lot like
marmite, you either love it or you hate it... There are many different arguments for and against this system, however people forget that within getting
rid of the First Past the Post system, you will then need to then replace it. This then poses the vital question of which is the best fitting system and
should we really change tradition? First past the post is a simple plurality system which requires the plurality of votes to win: that is one more vote than
the second candidate. There is no requirement to obtain the votes cast. In contests involving three or more candidates, the winner may fall... Show more
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Furthermore The First past the Post system gives rise to a coherent opposition in the legislature. In theory, the flip side of a strong single–party
government is that the opposition is also given enough seats to perform a critical checking role and present itself as a realistic alternative to the
government of the day. It advantages broadly–based political parties. In severely ethnically or regionally divided societies, FPTP is commended for
encouraging political parties to be 'broad churches', encompassing many elements of society, particularly when there are only two major parties and
many different societal groups. These parties can then field a diverse array of candidates for election. In Malaysia, for example, the Barisan Nasional
government is made up of a broadly–based umbrella movement which fields Malay, Chinese, and Indian candidates in areas of various ethnic
complexions. In addition to the arguments above there are some very strong disadvantages to this system such as it excludes women from the
legislature. The 'most broadly acceptable candidate' syndrome also affects the ability of women to be elected to legislative office because they are
often less likely to be selected as candidates by male–dominated party structures. Although the evidence across the world suggests that women are less
likely to be elected to the

Essay On Role Of Women In History
Canada's population of women has hit 52% as of 2017. Even though our population is equal between men and women, our national assembly is grossly
underrepresenting the female population in Canada. Canada's House of Commons only has 22% of the members of parliament that identify as female.
This puts Canada in 48th place in the world, for the number of women in its national legislature. Women could run for positions in the House of
Commons in 1919, and almost 100 years later we have not made sufficient developments. The United Nations believes that a countries national
legislature should have a minimum of 30% women, to make sure that societies values are adequately represented.
In 2004, the Centre for Research and Information in Canada came ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This lacks a small usually left–leaning group that prioritizes minority rights. Women are disadvantaged by single–member systems because of their
"decentralized nomination structure". Even if political parties wanted more women to be nominated, it is incredibly hard due to do so. This means
that the central government does not control the nomination process, so this makes it hard for the government to create and enforce a law. Some
defenders of the first past the post system claim that women are at an advantage because of the incumbency effect of Canadian politicians. Women do
not reap the same benefits as men do in regards to incumbency. Between 2008 and 2011, 19% of women incumbents were a part of their party's
stronghold.
If Canada wants to ensure that more women are elected in the future, then they must adopt a multi–party system with proportional representation. A
multi–party system is when multiple people are voted in to represent a riding. Proportional Representation is one of the key factors if women are
going to be a prominent part of Canadian politics. "All of the 10 Countries with over 30% membership of women use proportional representation (PR)
utilizing the party–list system...". Proportional representation is so successful at giving minorities a chance to run successfully for legislature because
"voters choose a preferred party and seats are allocated to parties according

Difference Between Direct And Represented Democracy Essay
Introduction
Democracy itself came from the Greek word dД“mokratГa that literally translates into 'the rule of the people'. It's the type of government that allows
the nation choose its leaders with a fair and free voting system. In a democratic system the entire nation is equal and all have the right to free speech,
practice the faith/religion of their choice, basically all people have all basic human rights (Unicef, New Zealand, 2014).
The main difference between direct and represented democracy is that citizens still have power over political, social and economic decisions that
involve the nation but with represented the power is used vicariously through a elected person (DifferenceBetween.info, 2014). There are a few
different types of electoral systems, Plurality electoral systems, also known as First past the post, Majority electoral systems known commoly as
second ballet system, and Proportional representation (King, 2000).
Political stability basically refers to if the current government regime is secure enough to handle any turmoil and outbursts of violence and protesting,
without internal conflict (Britannica, 2014) (Quandl, 2012). This essay will explore the history behind New Zealand's political history, with important
key times within history emphasized, this essay will ultimately answer which electoral system is better suited for New Zealand citizens.
Previous electoral systems and history
New Zealand is currently a democractic country with an unwritten

An Argument For Single Transferable Vote
An Argument for Single Transferable Vote
One of the main functions of elections is to ensure representation. Yet, it is arguable that most electoral systems do not return proportional results and
therefore do not ensure proper representation. There are numerous electoral systems that are used all over the world and every country seems to have
adopted a particular system that works well for them, but may not for others.
For much of the BC Legislative Assembly's history, the First Past the Post (FPTP) system has been used forelections. As with most things political,
each system has its positives and its flaws – and it is the flaws of each used system that contribute to the failure of BC to provide proportionality
where it matters most. It has become evident over the years that there has not been equality in terms of representation. For example, while women
represent about half of the population, only about 25% of elected politicians are women. It is even worse when it comes to minority groups –
indigenous people are severely under–represented in the government.
The currently used First Past the Post system is widely the most recognized and known system to BC electorate. The next best–known system is Single
Transferable Vote, a type of proportional electoral system. In 2005, there was the first of two referendums to change to an STV electoral system. The
Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform first recommended this system in late 2004. Ultimately, the results from both

The Election Day Of Canada
Election day in Canada comes around again, but Mr. Low decides to stay home. He thinks that there is no point in voting, since the results in his
riding are always the same and the candidate he votes for never wins. One may think that he is just being a sore loser, but he has a very valid point.
In Mr. Low's riding, there are 3 main parties; Liberal, NDP, and Conservative. Mr. Low likes the Liberal candidate, but he knows he has no chance of
winning, and the outcome is either the NDP or Conservative candidate. Mr. Low can tolerate NDP, but he really cannot stand Conservative, so if he
were to vote he would vote for NDP, not because he genuinely wants to, but because he wants to prevent the Conservative from winning. This is called
tactical... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The first past the post system is unfair because it is disproportionate, much of the population goes unrepresented, and it creates false majority
governments that govern with absolute power. It should be abolished, and replaced with a system called Mixed–Member Proportional (MMP).
MMP is a proportional representation system used in many countries such as Germany, New Zealand, and Scotland. Under MMP, a voter has two votes
on election day. The first vote works just like the current system, so that it goes to electing an MP to represent the riding. The other vote is what
makes the difference. One uses the second vote to vote for one's favourite party, and the total number of votes that party gets is tallied up
nationwide, meaning that all votes matter. Then, members of that political party are added to the legislature according to a list made by that party
until the number of seats a party has is proportional to the number of votes it got. For example, if the Pirate party only wins 5 seats from the ridings
but gets 10% of the overall vote, they would get 29 more seats so that the number of their seats out of 338 corresponds to approximately 10%. A party
will need to get at least 3–5% of the overall vote to be given seats.
While some may argue that first past the post is a simple voting and counting process that usually forms a strong, majority government that does not
need to bargain

Electoral Systems in the Caribbean
Essay Question Number 4; The Electoral systems in the Caribbean needs to be changed. How real is this view?
An election as a political process serves as the single most important mechanism for citizens to participate in the selection of a government. When
conducted to international standards, elections tend to confer legitimacy on a government. In the Commonwealth Caribbean, the electoral experience
varies and tends to reflect not only the socio–political culture of the member state but also its particular electoral system.
The electoral system determines the difference between votes and seats; how votes are translated into seats. How many and what kind of votes are
needed to get a seat varies from system to system. As a result, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Electoral systems in the region are mainly of the first–past–the post type. Electoral systems are essentially the electoral formula used for electing the
executive and legislature. In the Anglo–Caribbean countries (except Guyana), the first–past–the–post system elects the members of parliament, a
majority of whom nominate the prime minister. In the Latin Caribbean and Guyana the electoral formula is more complicated, often including
proportional representation and either an indirectly or directly elected president. Caribbean electoral systems reflect the influence of the former colonial
powers and national circumstances such as the racial composition of the population.
Elections and electoral systems aim at converting the popular will expressed as votes into choices between candidates of political parties for political
offices in the executive and legislature. The electoral system therefore reflects itself in the party system and the structure of governmental
representation. This association between elections, parties and government takes different forms. Ideal electoral systems should comprise of
competition, effective government, and fair representation along with free and fair voting.
A review of the Caribbean electoral system show how these aims are attempted and the strengths and weaknesses encountered. In the Dominican
Republic there is a mixed electoral system where the

Young People's Participation in the Voting Process Essay
We must make changes to the current system in order to incorporate young people into the political process. The media need to support more TV
shows addressing political issues, candidates need to spend more time with youth, we need to move toward voting online, and if all else fails,
implement a system of proportional representation.
On the local level, there are too many candidates and no way to get to know them. The majority of people never see who is running. Sometimes it
seems like it doesn't even matter. My life goes on with low–paying jobs and high college loan debt no matter who's in office. I've seen Democrats and
Republicans come and go, and the only thing that changes is the type of scandal in the White House. Strong media ... Show more content on
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Seeing positive change enacted is empowering. Being personally involved in it is life changing. One of the best times of my life was freshman
year in college when I worked for a local political candidate. We ate pizza and discussed his ideas, hung fliers on doorknobs, passed out flags at the
polling place, and encouraged people to vote. On Election Day, I woke at six a.m. to vote before heading off to hang fliers. Having a personal stake in
the election provided an added incentive to vote, and to care about the outcome. I felt that my vote mattered.
That is truly the crux of the issue. Young people must feel that their views are listened to and respected. In the February 2000 Miss USA pageant,
contestants answered questions in press conference style. Yet, instead of focusing on important issues, the "reporters" asked an environmentally active
contestant which of these should go on the endangered species list: high heels, g–strings, or bikini waxing? This is insulting to a young person's
intelligence, especially one with serious concerns about the environment. By asking trivial questions, the Miss USA pageant sends a clear message to
young people, especially young women, that their minds and opinions are not wanted. Partying, sex and leisure activities are all young people are
expected to care about.
The messages sent by advertisers and the media almost insist that young people be frivolous,

Compare And Contrast Political Parties
Political parties are composed of several different parties for example; Democratic Party, Republican Party, Libertarian Party, and Green Party. The
two major parties are Democratic and Republican Majority of Americans classify as these two. Political parties are essential institutions of
democracy. Democrats, believe that government can and should work to make everyone's lives better. Republicans tend to take a more conservative
stand on issues, and They believe that the federal government should not play a big role in people's lives. The history of these Political parties are as
followed; Democratic party was founded in 1828 founded by Andrew Jackson, Republican party was founded in 1854 by Abraham Lincoln, the
libertarian party was founded by David Nolan in 1971 and the Green party was founded in 1984 by Howie Hawkins. The reason for political parties
of political parties is to join people who hold similar points of view about the government together. They bring to the table justice and a working
Community.
Political parties form a very important role in the United states of America, these political parties usually convince people to vote their candidate, so
they can practice the same rights as their candidate and to also have their practice go into action. Most political parties for example Republicans favor
themselves whereas Democrats favor the people's decision and their voices. Political parties have been in the United State for about decades now

The Main Alternative Electoral System
Firstly, in this proposal, the different features of the main alternative electoral systems will be outlined along with the judgement of whether the
Conservative party should advocate or oppose the respective system, in addition to ordering the preferences of the following systems. To begin with,
the main alternatives, in terms of electoral reform, are mixed–member proportional (MMP) and preferential or ranked ballot where the former has
proportionality as the formula and the latter usually has majority as the threshold. In addition, there is also the current electoral system, the
first–past–the–post system (FPTP), which depends on having plurality as the threshold. As such, opposing electoral reform is key to retaining power
because... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Besides, the Conservative party can argue for the status–quo on the merits that it facilitates a majority which makes government more efficient, that it
excludes extremist or fragmented parties, and that it avoids fractionalization. The latter point is particularly true as plurality, particularly FPTP, breeds
lower amount of parties due to voters voting strategically. Because in strategic voting, voters avoid small parties for the fear of not 'wasting' their
votes, because of the high threshold in this plurality system. Adjacently, in that context, parties also have an incentive to merge to pass high thresholds
of representation. Regardless, the positive aspects of plurality include its simplicity, efficiency along its ability to produce governments that need not
depend on the support of other parties which are all facts that the Conservatives can use to lobby against any electoral change. And more pertinently in
this case, it leads to a more coherent opposition, the Conservatives in this instance, by offering voters a clear choice in a system that is easy to
understand. And this is part of the reason why the Conservatives should stay with the status–quo and advocate for it. Furthermore, an electoral reform
being proposed is a change to a preferential or ranked ballot. In this type of ballot, the formula employed to calculate the threshold of votes needed to
secure a seat is usually a majority, more than

Discuss Harper's Failed Strategic Manipulation Of Canada's...
In Canada's system of governance, the outcome of an election is vested in the franchise, however heavily influenced by political structure and voting
institutions. This essay will evaluate Harper's failed strategic manipulation of Canada's political and electoral institutions. First, the effects of the
concentration of power vested in the executive under the parliamentary system will be assessed. Next Canada's first–past–the–post voting institution
will be analyzed using the 2011 and 2015 election in that in the former it allowed for Harper to win, however when using it as precedent it contributed
to the Conservative failure. Finally, the 2015 election will be evaluated under a proportional representation system. Despite Conservative ... Show more
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Therefore, since Canada's institutional framework permits the concentration of power to the prime minister, it allowed for Harper to pass Bill C–23 –
The Fair Elections Act. As a result, fixed–date elections were introduced with a minimum campaign period of 36 days and a campaign budget of
almost $25 million. (Bryden 4). Prior to the election, Conservatives raised $20.1 million, Liberals $15 million, NDP $9.5 million. For each additional
day of campaigning after the 36–days, party spending limits increase by 1/37 of the initial budget, totaling to a $19.6 million increase that the
Conservatives would be most able to raise given their monetary dominance of Canada's richest associations (Bryden 10, 11). Pattie, Johnson, and
Fieldhouse argue that money spent in campaigning "buys" votes and money spent in a certain constituency indicates the effort put into that campaign
(Pattie, Johnson, and Fieldhouse 969). So, based on these premises, since the Conservatives were monetarily advantaged, they should have won.
However, guiding this election was not money and the strategic allocation of funds to ridings and party members, but the ideology to oust Harper out
of office as earlier polls suggested that two thirds of Canadians would vote for "whoever could defeat the Conservative Party" (Waddell 4). Moreover,
Harper's manipulation of the personalization of leadership under Canada's parliamentary

Should Extremist Groups Be Allowed? Have A Voice?
Literature review Should extremist groups be allowed to have a voice in EU politics? Who are their leaders? / Who are the current right wing
extreme parties? / What are their policies? / Who votes for the extreme parties?/ What are the electoral systems?/ Who are the current extreme parties?
Daily mail – Content.Time.com–Europa.EU 08/09/15 The B.N.P believes that we should leave the E.U and they would also pay all none whites to go
back to their country of origin. S.V.P is completely anti–immigrant. Northern League Northern Alliance would allow cost guards to shoot traffickers.
How many extreme parties are there?There are 16 extreme parties in the E.U, two of which are in power, a few threatening but most are completely
disregarded. Who are their leaders? JГ¶rg Haider (F.P.O) Frank Vanhecke (V.B) Pia Kjaersgaard (DPP) Jean
–Marie Le Pen (FN) Makis Voridis
(Hellenic Front) Nick Griffin(B.N.P) What are the B.N.P Policies on immigration:B.N.P Home website 08/10/2015 "Britain is full and it's time to
shut our doors" Leave the E.U and take control of our borders. Deport bogus asylum seekers. Crack down on illegal immigration. No amnesty for
illegal immigrants. Crack down on sham marriages. Who votes for extremist parties? Here are some studies on who votes for extreme parties
Demographic CharacteristicLeft–Wing groups Right wing groups AgeAverage age:35Average age 39 Sex73% male 27% female93% male 7% female
Race29%

The Electoral System Of The United Kingdom
As one of Europe's oldest democratic countries, the United Kingdom consequently has one of the oldest voting systems, a plurality system often called
First–Past–The–Post. The system relies on a basic principle; voters can vote for only one candidate and the candidate who receives the most votes
wins the seat. (UK Parliament Website, 2014) As the quotation from David Cameron shows, the system is often hailed as one of the simplest voting
systems possible, and is mainly used in the U.K for national elections.
However, more recently different voting systems have been used by devolved powers throughout the U.K – like the Scottish parliament –– as well as
for other votes such as the European Parliament. (Ministry of Justice, 2008, pp. 24–25) These different voting systems are based on proportional
representation, a term which characterises various types of electoral system, but share one main idea – the proportion of votes received correlates
directly with the amount of seats a party wins. As democracy has become more widespread, other countries within Europe have naturally developed
different electoral systems. Particularly, France is one of the few other countries in Europe who practice a very similar type of electoral system as the
United Kingdom. The majority of countries in Europe, such as Germany, favour systems with an element of proportional representation.
Despite the First–Past–The–Post system being viewed as relatively fair and simple, proportional representation has

Comparing Electoral Processes in Uk
Electoral Systems in the UK
There are two main types of electoral system in the UK:
First Past the Post (FPTP) & Proportional Representation (PR)
First Past the Post (FPTP);
FPTP is the voting system used for the election of MPs to 'seats' in the UK Parliament. It is a system in which the 'winner takes all' and usually gives
a clear majority both at constituency and national level. This means that a candidate in a constituency only needs one more vote than the nearest rival
to win the seat. Similarly, political parties only need to win one more seat in the House of Commons to have a majority.
Advantages of FPTP;
There is very little chance of extremist parties being elected to Parliament under FPTP because they are ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
FPTP also encourages tactical (unfair) voting. This means voting for a party, other than your preferred party, to prevent another party from being
elected. An example of this would be when a Labour supporter in a marginal Liberal/ Conservative seat votes Liberal Democrat in order to keep the
Conservatives from winning.
Another disadvantage of FPTP can occur in marginal constituencies, where voters tend to change their party loyalty from election to election, and
among 'floating' or 'swing' voters, who have no firm party loyalty. The outcome of an election can be decided on the voting patterns in these situations,
even although the constituents may number only a tiny proportion of the electorate.
Proportional Representation (PR)
There is a number of systems that use PR such as the Single Transferable Vote (STV) (the Regional and National Lists) and the Alternative Vote. There
is a third system that combines these two, known as the Additional Member System (AMS) or the hybrid or top–up system. The AMS system is
presently used in elections for the Scottish Parliament, where voters can vote for single candidates in their constituencies but also for candidates from
regional 'lists' put forward by each party. If there is a discrepancy between the percentage of seats the party has won and the percentage of votes cast,

the seats are 'topped up' from the

Electoral Reform And What It Would Mean For Aboriginal...
Electoral Reform and What it Would Mean for Aboriginal Peoples
Jesse Macmillan
Ryerson University
Electoral Reform and What it Would Mean for Aboriginal Peoples
Canadian politics still operate under the outdated First Past the Post electoral system. Many believe that it is time for Canada to change its electoral
system to a Proportional Representation system. This would be especially beneficial for Aboriginal peoples, as they remain severely under–represented
and discriminated by the First Past the Post system. This essay will argue that the current First Past the Post electoral system in Canada is oppressive
of Aboriginal peoples for these reasons: it creates barriers for Aboriginal candidates to be elected, it leaves... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The reason behind this was that Aboriginal peoples did not pay taxes, so it was believed that they should not have a voice in how taxes were collected
and paid (Knight, 2001).
Although they have made social progress over the course of the 20th century, Aboriginal peoples still remain under–represented in politics (Biles, 2004).
Canadian parties have recently nominated more minorities in winnable ridings, however the figures are still far too low (Pilon, 2001). Parliament is
composed of only 2% Aboriginal people (Biles, 2004). In fact, Aboriginal peoples have never gained seats in the House of Commons that were in
proportion to their overall population ("Plurality–Majority Electoral Systems", n.d.). A democratic system cannot truly be democratic when an entire
group of people are being so under–represented.
Under–representation in Parliament has a damaging effect on Aboriginal peoples. While Canada itself is diverse in its regions and cultural
backgrounds, many groups feel as though elected parties do not represent them, including Aboriginal peoples (Couture, 2014). Aboriginal peoples want
their historic claims to be made good (Pilon, 2001). However, this can be difficult to achieve without proper representation. Without proper
representation of Aboriginal peoples, issues that affect Aboriginals such as historic claims and treaties can remain largely unchecked. A mere 2%
Aboriginal voice can be easily drowned out by the other 98%

Why Do Voters Vote The Way They Do?
Why do voters vote the way they do?
A voter can be defined as an individual who votes, or has the right to vote, in elections. Voting behaviour is explained using the concepts of expressive
voting and strategic voting. A rational voter would act more strategically, that is, the voter would vote to produce anelection outcome which is as close
as possible to his or her own policy preferences, rather than voting on the basis of party attachment, ideology, or social group membership
(expressive voting). Strategic voting has become more important than voting on the basis of political cleavages (expressive voting), so voters have
become more rational in their approach, however there is always an element of expressiveness in their behaviour. Political parties were initially
formed to represent the interests of particular groups in society however, as these parties became more universal in the appeal of their policy
programmes, voting behaviour shifted from expressive to strategic. This essay explores the reasons behind the declining importance of political
cleavages, and the rise of strategic voting. "In their seminal study, Lipset and Rokkan (1967) explained how ideological and partisan divisions sprang
from the social cleavages in the nation" (Russell. J. Delton.) An example is the 1966 formation of the Black Panther Party in the United States. It
aimed to represent black interests, and its main objectives were full employment for black people, and securing "overdue debt of

Woman and Canadian Politics
Prior to 1921, men were the only members of the Canadian parliamentary system. With the first Canadian women being elected into the Canadian
parliament in 1921, women have had the ability to participate and become elected into the House of Commons. Since then, Canadian women's
participation in the House of Commons has substantially increased from 1 female seat holder in 1921 to the present day 64 seats held by women.
Although this increase is seemed as substantial, the debate about the underrepresentation of women in politics has been a central topic of debate by
politicians, scholars and the general public in Canada. Although it is widely agreed that representation of women in the House of Commons needs to
increase, there are two ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
To accommodate the financial difficulty of competing nominees the 1974 Election Expenses Act was implemented, and in 2004 Bill C–24. The 1974
Election Expenses Act introduced restrictions to the amount that candidates and parties could spend on elections, as well as gave tax deductions to
sponsors, and partial reimbursement to parties and candidates wining more than 15 percent of the vote. Bill C–24 introduced restrictions once again on
sponsorship spending placing boundaries on who can sponsor and caps on how much can be sponsored, while giving parties subsidies for each vote
they received in the last election. By placing these restrictions and caps on spending, the competition in the financial field became less of an issue. The
facts that these barriers have been acknowledged and attempts have been made remedy these burdens, not only benefited women's likelihood to get
nominated, but made competing playing field equal. Candidates who did not find finance as a burden were restricted to a cap, therefore made it more
likely that all candidates would have around the same amount of money to spend on their promotion. Both men and women have to go through the
same nomination process to become a candidate for elections; whether they choose to pursue the legislative route is based on personal choice, not
political inequality.
Thirdly, feminists are concerned that the small numbers of women in the House of Commons means that women's interests and needs are not being

The Single Transferable Vote System
The Single Transferable Vote system is a system that was invented by a mathematician whose processes are lengthy and confusing to the people who
actually use it to implement change: voters. The currently used Single Member Plurality system is widely understood and the best system for
Manitoban voters. While some may argue that the Single Transferrable Vote system is a superior method of electing members of government in
Manitoba, due to the unfamiliarity with candidates, lack of voter involvement, and confusing nature of the system, the current Single Member Plurality
system is more effective and reflective of the actual views of the electors. All electoral systems must take into account five consequences:
proportionality, local... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The alleged problems with the proportionality under SMP that STV seem to solve, may be more beneficial on a national level, rather than on a
provincial level as the population size is much smaller and less diverse, therefor voters needs are far more similar than on a national level. The
second consequence of electoral systems is referred to as local representation. LP is extremely poor in STV yet is excellent in SMP. This is the case
because the current system elects one MLA per riding and has much smaller constituencies, making contact between the voter and their MLA more
feasible and likely easier to get in contact with. Once constituencies grow and become large in size, like it has a tendency to do in STV, there becomes
a need for multi–member parties required for one riding. Local representation under STV becomes an issue for voters when constituents are too
geographically large as contact with representatives become few and far between. Large constituents with multiple members representing them, seem to
be the answer to the problem at hand, however there is no guarantee that there will be enough candidate interest to support these constituents under
STV. For example, if many of the towns in Northern Manitoba were grouped into one constituent, due to the sheer amount of travel that would be
required by candidates, it would be very difficult to find enough candidates willing to sign up, and even more difficult for voters to engage face–to–face

Party Influence on Democratic Elections
According to Merriam–Webster Dictionary, "democracy is a government by the people." Merriam additionally specifies democracy as the "rule of the
majority." In government, this definition may be a contradiction. A classic democratic state is defined as a government in which the supreme power is
invested in the people which is exercised directly or indirectly through the use of elections. However, according to the definition of Merriam–Webster
the power comes from the masses. In the parliamentary democracy of the United Kingdom and Sweden either theory may be applied. In both countries,
the Constitution declares the people as the main source of public power. Nevertheless, voters are hesitant to exercise their right of control through free
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Therefore the opposition party has the chance to participate in legislative decisions before either house votes.
Subsequently, it has been criticized that the electoral system employed in Britain works only to the advantage of large parties, the winning party in
particular. This has in turn led to an over–represented government at the expense of third parties. This can be seen in recent general elections where a
single party emerged with clear majority legislation, then able to form a dominant government. As a result, voter participation has been low. It appears
to citizens that their vote does not have much political weight when electing officials from minority parties. Thus, causes a low percentage of voter
turnouts.
On the contrary, the Sweden Parliament is a unicameral government. The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The assembly
contains 349 members who are chosen by direct elections based on suffrage for all Swedish citizens aged 18 or over who are residents of Sweden.
Consequently, general elections to the Riksdag are based on proportional representation for a fixed term of four years. The state of Sweden is divided
into constituencies from which seats are distributed between political parties. The numbers of seats assigned to parties corresponds to

Canadian Electoral System
When evaluating either the liberal democracy or constitutional monarchy in Canada it is rudimentary and essential to first recognize that any one given
governing structure or system cannot unequivocally be correct or incorrect. Therefore, the present Canadian liberal democratic system functions well;
nonetheless, it would further benefit from adopting both the Nordic democratic socialist model and the proportional representation electoral system. The
Nordic governing system would benefit the individuals by providing them with parallel wages, universal health care, free or affordable education,
public pension plans, welfare, and free trade. Next, if Canada is to adopt the proportional representation electoral system the votes will better represent
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, Canada can advance its current democratic liberalism by implanting the Nordic system and bringing in electoral reform through the
proportional representation electoral system. Despite this, the current liberal democratic state of Canada is not completely flawed; for instance,
Canadian citizens are granted many overlooked rights such as the right to compel the government into changing their decision. Thus, Canada's
governing system, although not completely faulty, will take a step in a positive direction by establishing the Nordic System, introducing proportional
representation, and continuing to protect the right to the defiance of

Political Parties In The United States
When one sits down and takes a look at the Constitution of the United States, it is evident that any reference of political parties is absent from its
pages. However in modern American politics, political parties essentially define the entire political ideology spectrum in the United States. The two
major parties that encompass modern politics are the Democrats, and the Republicans. The ideologies of these two entities however are at opposite
ends of the ideological spectrum, and contain almost no overlap. With no similarity in ideas of how a government should be run and what policies are
important, both sides of the political system aspire to be in charge because they believe that their way is better than any other. This perpetuates a
constant ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Through many different systems, and ways representatives of the American people have shown undoubtedly that the ideology of theirpolitical party
matters more than the wellbeing of the nation. The first President of the United States, George Washington had much to say on the behalf of political
parties. George Washington stated in his farewell address that, "the alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge,
natural to party dissension...is itself a frightful despotism". Washington's prediction all those years ago has steadfastly held its ground, and has showed
exactly why the American people were warned about political parties in the first place. With everything that is currently going on in politics, it is
apparent that we as a nation need to start listening to one of our greatest founding fathers, and do away with political factions that are impeding proper
representation of the American

Women 's Suffrage During The Nineteenth Century Essay
The women's suffrage movements began to emerge during the first half of the nineteenth century. In the United States, a handful of Western states
already granted women's suffrage during the nineteenth century. However, in the majority of states the enfranchisement of women followed only after
the nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which granted full voting rights to women in 1920. Similarly, British women gained partial
suffrage through the Representation of the People Act of 1918.
In the same year, all women over 21 years old were granted the right to stand for Parliament through The Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act.
Equal voting rights with men were only achieved through the Representation of the People Acts of 1928, also known as the Equal Franchise Act,
which granted universal suffrage to women over age 21.
Even in the mid–twentieth century, women had not gained legal rights equal to men along all dimensions. In particular, women continued to face
unequal legal treatment in the labor market long after they had gained the right to vote. In the United States, restrictions on hours worked, wages, and
work conditions of female employees were introduced in almost all states during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries,
Table 1.3 Democratization of suffrage in Selected Countries
CountryMale Universal SuffrageFemale Universal Suffrage
Australia19031908
Canada1915/181920
France1869/711946
Great Britain18771928
Italy

Essay on Plurality Voting System in Canada
The current plurality voting system in Canada is regularly attacked for unfairly representing the popular vote and giving some parties a
disproportionate amount of legislative power while leaving others with none. Opponents contend that other electoral systems would be far superior and
provide a better democracy. Proportional representation (PR) is usually cited as the best alternative; the debate of proportional representation versus
plurality often hinges on the balance between fairness and efficiency. Without attempting the political calculus to determine the rate at which fairness
should be sacrificed for efficiency, this paper will address the very claim that PR is more fair than the plurality system. The proponents contend that PR
is ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Canada, and the majority of former British colonies, use the plurality voting system (Blais and Massicotte, 1997). The plurality, or first–past–the–post,
voting system is a system where the candidate with the most votes, though not necessarily a majority of votes, wins a constituency. This process is
repeated in 308 constituencies across Canada with the party winning the most ridings becoming the government. This system has substantial benefits:
notably that it is clear, easy, and efficient. The system is well understood and produces a very clear government after the election. Most importantly, it
produces a government that has a strong mandate to govern and one that usually hold the majority of seats. A majority government can execute its
policy without concern that other parties can stop it by collectively voting against the legislation in the House of Commons. This allows the
government to take action and implement its election promises with the knowledge that it will have several years of rule before having to answer to
the electorate for its actions.
Opponents challenge the system noting that it results in a significant amount of "wasted" votes because many voters, often a majority, vote for other
candidates during the election but do not receive the representation of their views by a Member of Parliament. Further, disillusionment is created from
the feeling that there are many ridings where there are "safe" party seats that one party or another is going to win

Why Do Women Only Make Up One Third Of The Parliamentarians?
Why do women only make up one–fifth of the parliamentarians? Women are underrepresented in politics, but gender balance is improving. Increasing
participation of women in politics takes a paradigm shift. The three waves of feminism have helped propel the women's movement in the world.
Hence, some people believe in a fourth wave. In addition, women have gained electoral power via the proportional representation electoral system,
which is more favourable to women than majority–plurality representation. (Nonetheless, it is also the stereotyping that people put on the two different
genders.) (One perspective of women in politics Where Rwanda and Canada rank with two different electoral systems.)
These waves of feminism focused primarily on voting, reproductive, and 'identity' rights, respectively, but it simply began with "equal rights for
women" (MacLean, G., Wood, D. 2014). The goal of the first wave was "to open up opportunities for women," with a main focus on suffrage. It
formally began in New York in 1848, when 300 men and women rallied together for the "cause of equality for women," that was mostly driven by
"middle class white women" (Rampton, M., 2014). The right of women to vote was known as the women's suffrage. It took the activists and reformers
of this suffrage 72 years to win that right since it was nearly impossible with the disagreements threatening to weaken the movement. In 1906, a British
article coined the term "suffragette." This term was used to describe

Underrepresentation In Canada
For this study, my research question is "does representation on the Canadian House of Commons affect likelihood of political participation of visible
minority groups?" The Canadian House of Commons is not a mirror representation of the Canadian population, so underrepresented groups may not
feel as if their voice is being heard in the Canadian government.
This leads to my hypothesis "if a minority group is underrepresented in the House of Commons, then they are less likely to participate in politics".
According to Cardoza and Pendakur (2017, p. 81), as the minority population rises in Canada, the number of people running for office in these groups
should increase. Citizens often vote for representatives of similar origin to them, but visible minorities fit their name, they are usually the minority in
their constituency, therefore they do not get accurate representation. According to Bird (2012, p. 450), 6.5% of Members of Parliament (MPs) were
from visible minorities. At the time, 13.6% of Canada's population were visible minorities (Bird, 2012, p. 449). The non–mirror ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
To analyze this variable, I will look at country–level prevalence of visible minorities according to the 2011 National Household Survey by Statistics
Canada ("Visible minority population", 2011). It is necessary to know how many MPs that identify with these groups are currently in the House of
Commons and the total percentage of seats occupied by these MPs to compare and see how severe the underrepresentation of these groups are
(Tolley, 2015; "Current Members Data Set", 2015). The article by Erin Tolley provides data based on visible minorities in Parliament and how well
the population is reflected. The data set from the Commons website displays the name and constituency of each current MP, which I will use to match
names to the MPs of diverse ethnic

UK and the System of PR for General Elections
UK and the System of PR for General Elections
In our current system, First–Past–The–Post (FPTP), there are only two parties capable of being elected into government, the Labour and Conservative
parties, perhaps including the Liberal Democrats as a potentially influential party. In our 'democratic' society, if you do not vote for one of these
three parties, your vote has been wasted. There are only about 250 seats in the House of Commons that regularly veer between parties out of the 650
available, therefore, for a Labour voter in Malvern or a Conservative voter in Ebber Vale your vote has essentially been wasted, either you move to a
different constituency or you change parties, otherwise your vote ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Each elector has to vote once by putting one cross in one box and the candidate with the most votes is the winner. PR systems tend to be more
complex and are not as easy for the voter to understand, for example, the Single Transferable Vote system (STV) means first the voters rank the
candidates in order of preference, then the votes are then counted by successively removing the candidates with least votes and allocated their second
choices to remaining candidates, until all but one candidate has dropped out, or one candidate has over half the remaining votes.
Any system which takes decision making away from the electorate and gives it to the Parties is bad for democracy. All that is achieved by this is the
cementing of the party system into the democratic process with no hope of promoting independent thought or action amongst the MPs. No MP will be
willing to stand against their own party on matters of principle when they rely entirely on that party for their seat in Parliament. For this reason the
electoral systems which specifically include a vote for a party, the Open and Closed Party Lists, should not be considered as suitable alternative voting
systems.
STV produces competition between candidates from the same party, which could cause divisions within parties because ofelection campaigns. This

UK's Main Electoral System and Should It Be Reformed Essay...
UK's Main Electoral System and Should It Be Reformed
Over the years Britain's pluralist electoral system has been scrutinised by many political and pressure groups, such as the Liberal Democrats and the
Electoral Reform Society. In their 1997 Manifesto, the Labour Party did state that they would look into the matter, by holding a referendum on the
issue, however there was no change as Labour had a large majority in 1997 and Labour has preformed disappointingly in elections where Proportional
Representation had been used. The main electoral system in the UK should be reformed because the 'first past the post' system does not represent the
electorate in a democratic manner. It also under represents ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The system is also disproportionate, an example of this is can be shown in a study of the 2001 General Election.
From the 2001 General Election results, we can deliberately see that through our pluralist electoral system, the system is disproportionate. We can
see many examples of this]. The percentage of votes to the percentage of seats is unequal, showing how its 'seats not votes that count,' and judging
by labour's "landslide" victory. In fact, we can see that Labour did not even gain a majority from voters but only from seats. Another example is
the Liberal Democrats; they received 18.3% of the electorate's votes, but only received less than half the percentage of seats at 7.9%. Labour also
received a mere 9% more votes than the Conservatives, but yet still managed to acquire around 247 more seats. This also shows that some parties,
especially Labour in the 2001 elections, are over represented and this can lead eventually lead to a dangerous 'one party system', which certainly
undermines our ideology of a Democracy. On average 70% of votes are also wasted during a single election. We find that 100.0% of votes are
accounted for, only 40.7% actually counted, therefore, votes a drastically wasted.
Other arguments to demonstrate how the

The Current Winner Take All System
The current winner–take–all system is serviceable, but it is prone to polar inversions due to its bipartisan nature. Neither party adequately represents the
values of most Americans. Worse, is the fact that most of the votes that go toward an independent or third party candidate are essentially wasted,
discouraging voters from selecting such candidates. It is a system which generally makes it difficult for smaller parties to gain influence, and which
rarely provides accurate representation to the voters.
A winner–take–all system is, as the name suggests, one where the winner (the majority vote in this case) is the only one selected for representation.
The margin of victory does not matter; a 45 percent majority is counted the same a 60 ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Winner–take–all systems tend to be significantly simpler and more stable. However, the representatives in this system tend to be more polarized than
the average voter in the districts they represent. Additionally, winner–take–all systems tend to keep a very small number of parties in play, limiting the
voters' perceived reasonable choices. As pointed out earlier, the majority vote does not even need to be a majority of the total. A candidate only needs
more votes than any of the other candidates to win, which may not be representative of the electorate. In a system with two major parties, one of the
worst–case scenarios could be an election where the winner only has about 45 percent of the total votes. This would mean that around 55 percent of the
district's population is not being properly represented. Minor parties are often looked at as hopeless non–options, since they appear to be lacking the
support necessary to win. Voters do not want to waste their votes, so they will try to make what they believe to be the best decision between two
highly polarized parties. It is like trying to draw a rainbow in black and white–possible, difficult, yet not likely to produce an accurate depiction. While
this makes the system significantly simpler for voters, it also makes the system more easily corruptible, and almost certain to produce a less accurate
representation of public interests. Part of the appeal for the argument of keeping this system is that doing so

The Spanish Electoral System : The New Playing Field
The Spanish electoral system in 2015: the new playing field
Introduction
Although the Spanish Constitution defines the nation 's electoral system as proportional, it allows for different degrees of proportionality in the
electoral law, and in practice the d 'Hont formula is the method used to convert voters into seats. Therefore, according to Duverger's law, one would
expect more than two parties playing a role in national politics. However, the Spanish political landscape has been traditionally characterized by the
alternation in power of the two dominant parties: the left–leaning PSOE and right–wing PP. This raises the question of how a theoretically proportional
system ended up resulting in an two–party political scene. However this situation is bound to change during 2015, as the country is likely to evolve
from this two–party system to a multi–party one. Local, regional and national elections are going to be held, and pre–election polls suggest that the two
traditional parties are going to share power with the new contenders: the left–wing Podemos and the self–described as centre–left Ciudadanos (maybe
better defined as centre–right progressives).
The purpose of this paper is to analyze why the design of the Spanish electoral law has historically favored PP and PSOE, and why precisely now the
situation is changing. We will argue that the outcome of this electoral system was not achieved by chance, but that it was the decision of
pre–democratic rulers to benefit the

The Importance Of Female Voters ' Identification With The...
enhance female voters' identification with the political system – and in turn, their sense of being able to influence the decision–making process,
making their participation worthwhile. These effects, however, are not confined only to women: the presence of women in a wide range of political
offices can increase the confidence that male citizens have in the political system as well. Consequently, electing greater proportions of women to
political positions can deepen democracy and encourage civic engagement in the general population.
Change the perception of society and political stakeholders regarding women's capacities вћ”Electing greater numbers of women to public office can
thus build confidence among women, contribute to strengthening legislative and policy agendas, and increase trust by the electorate in the political
system. The presence of women in office, however, can also lead to broader, positive changes in the social and cultural perceptions of women's
capacity. The presence of strong, capable women in public office can result in changes in societal perceptions, and can help combat gender–based
stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes.
Key Challenges to Women's Advancement in Political Parties––
The founding documents of political parties govern how parties function internally as well as externally. Some political parties have made efforts to
promote gender equality through, and integrate gender–sensitive language into, their founding documents. Too often,

The Southeast Asian Cases From Two Aspects Of Electoral...
It is undeniable that the global trend modern election campaign have also reached Northeast Asian democracies. But just as any other liberal countries
in the world, the American–style campaigning practices were not simply imported as a package (Norris, 2004). Several other factors, too, have affected
the process. In the following sections, this essay tried to analyse the Northeast Asian cases from two aspects: electoral system and political culture, and
the media environment and campaign restrictions.
Electoral system and political culture
Before their electoral reforms, both Japan and Taiwan adopted SNTV (single nontransferable vote) in legislatureelections (Lin, 2006). Each electorate
casts only one vote, and seats are allocated to the top candidates within each multimember district (Hsieh, 2002). Under the majoritarian electoral
system, candidates had to not only compete against counterparts, but within their own parties as well (Lin, 2006). It was therefore more important for
candidates to carry out their own campaign, in order to win the office (Holtz–Bacha et al., 2007). On the other hand, for political parties, it was more
critical to strategically maximise their total number of seats, rather than winning a higher total vote share (Lin, 2006). A culture of personalisedelection
campaigns therefore developed, and party affiliation lost its importance accordingly (Hsieh, 1996).
SNTV was argued to have attributed to the one–party dominance of LDP and KMT; yet,

The Democratic Government Of Canada
Summary
The Liberal Government of Canada has promised the implementation of a new electoral system within the next 18 months according to the second
chapter of the document Real Change: A New Plan for a Strong Middle Class. The document seeks to affirm that the 2015 election will be the last
federal election held under the first–past–the–post electoral system and that many reform options will be thoroughly explored to replace it. Proportional
representation (PR) systems appears to be the most beneficial and logical alternatives to our current system. However, there is variety of different
forms of proportional representation and this paper will seek to explain why Single Transferable Vote is the most viable proportional representation...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Regionalism allows for some voters to have more power with their votes, particularly Ontario and Quebec over other provinces thus furthering regional
tension and divide.
Voters in areas with a lesser impact on the Election outcome may feel a sense of voter apathy and will be less likely to engage with political discourse.
Potentially wasted ballots on small fringe parties with no chance of winning or in electoral districts with a strong partisan leaning.
Parties that have a diffuse national support may be underrepresented in House of Commons, The New Democratic Party and in some historical
instances the Conservative Party have been negatively impacted by this.
The inverse of the prior problem occurs as well, parties with a concentrated regional support become over represented in the House of Commons; The
Bloc Quebecois have traditionally been an example of this.
Strategic voting may occur to ensure a party is removed from power, voters will vote for an opposing party with a good chance of winning versus a
party with lesser support but whose platform they agree with.
On Election Day a winner can be determined before polls across Canada close, once the Maritimes, Quebec and Ontario are counted, a winner can be
determined before the polls close out West.
What is the Single Transferable Voting

Uk Election Process

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