The document discusses elections in Commonwealth Caribbean countries. It describes how these countries use either a first-past-the-post or proportional representation electoral system. It also outlines the responsibilities of electoral offices in managing elections, what political parties must do to prepare, and factors that influence election outcomes and voter participation such as campaign strategies, issues, and voter attitudes.

1. ELECTIONS IN THE
COMMONWEALTH CARIBBEAN

2. OVERVIEW
Electoral Processes
How Political Parties Prepare for Elections
Factors that Influence Election Outcomes
Factors that Influence Voter Participation in
Elections
Analyzing Election Data

3. WHAT IS GOVERNMENT?
 A group of people with the
authority to:
 Set goals and make
policies for the good of a
country
 Make laws and regulations
defining how people are to
go about achieving these
goals
 Enforce compliance with
the laws and regulations

4. Countries in the Commonwealth
Caribbean are democracies,
where the government is
chosen by the citizens in a
general election that should be
free and fair.

5. ELECTORAL SYSTEMS
Elections
First-past- the-
post
Proportional
representation

6. FIRST-PAST-THE-POST
 A country is divided up into constituencies
 A candidate is nominated for election in each
constituency
 The candidate gaining the most votes wins the
election and gets a seat in parliament
 The party that wins the most seats wins the general
election and forms the government
 The opposition comes from the party with the
second highest number of seats
 If no party wins an outright majority there is a hung
parliament

7. ELECTORAL MAPS: ST LUCIA & BARBADOS

8. ADVANTAGES OF FIRST-PAST-THE- POST
 Enables direct interaction with
representatives and the people
 Representatives can deal specifically with
the needs of their constituencies
 Allows voters to choose individuals based
on competence rather than just for a party
 Allows for an independent candidate to be
elected in a constituency
 It is simple to use and understand

9. DISADVANTAGES OF FIRST-PAST-THE-POST
 The party that wins the election may have the
most seats but not the majority of the overall vote
 A candidate may win a seat without getting the
majority of the votes in his/her constituency
 MPs may focus on the interests of their
constituencies rather than on the national interest
 A party may get a substantial number of the
overall vote but have few representatives in
parliament
 It leads to wasted votes
 It can lead to gerrymandering

10. PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
 The whole country is treated as a single
constituency
 A list of candidates is prepared by the political
parties based on the number of seats in
Parliament
 People vote for a party rather than a candidate
 Seats in Parliament are awarded to a party
based on the proportion votes the party
receives
 The candidates on the party list will be given
seats in order of preference

11. ELECTORAL MAP: GUYANA

12. ADVANTAGES PROPORTIONAL
REPRESENTATION
 MPs are more likely to focus on national
interests rather than narrow constituency
interests
 Representation in parliament is a true reflection
of the strength of the party
 There are no controversies with
gerrymandering as there are no constituencies

13. DISADVANTAGES OF PROPORTIONAL
REPRESENTATION
 Facilitates voting along racial or sectarian lines
 Can lead to hung parliaments
 Can lead to the presence of a number of small
parties in parliament, making it difficult to form a
coherent opposition
 There tends to be a preponderance of coalition
governments that can be complex and lead to
tensions
 It is possible that a small party without much
support may hold the balance of power

14. MANAGING AN ELECTION

15. MANAGING AN ELECTIONS
A country’s election system is managed
by a government department known as
the electoral office or the electoral and
boundaries commission.

16. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ELECTORAL OFFICE
 Divide the country into constituencies
 Register eligible voters
 Prepare and amend the voters’ lists
 Issue voters’ ID cards
 Register candidates on nomination day
 Prepare and distribute election notices, ballot
papers and ballot boxes
 Supervise the balloting process on election day
 Tally the votes
 Declare results
 Audit candidates’ election expenses

17. PREPARING FOR ELECTIONS

18. WHAT DO PARTIES HAVE TO DO?
 Be aware of the important issues
 Raise funds
 Select candidates
 Prepare party manifesto
 Conduct campaigns
 Commission public opinion polls
 Monitor performance
 Monitor the electoral process

19. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE OUTCOME
OF ELECTIONS

20. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE OUTCOMES OF
ELECTIONS
 Campaign strategy
 Campaign spending
 Media coverage
 Campaign advertising
 Public opinion polls
 Voter turnout
 Campaign issues
 Voter attitudes to government

21. FACTORS INFLUENCING VOTER
PARTICIPATION

22. WHAT MAKES A PERSON DECIDE WHETHER OR
NOT TO VOTE?
 Campaign issues
 Candidates
 Voter attitude towards government
 Voter loyalty to political parties
 Voter apathy
 Education
 Religious beliefs
 Age
 Level of income