What defines a proportional electoral system?

It allocates seats to parties in close relation to their share of the votes cast, usually through multi-member constituencies or a party list.

Explain how a candidate can win a seat under first-past-the-post with well under half the votes.

Only a plurality is required, so where several candidates split the vote the winner needs merely more votes than any single rival, not an overall majority.

What is a wasted vote?

It is a vote that contributes nothing to the outcome, either cast for a losing candidate or piled up beyond the number the winner needed.

A safe seat is a constituency where one party's majority is so large that the same party is expected to win at every election.

AQA A-Level Politics 7152

The Nature and Sources of the British Constitution

Topic overview Codified and Uncodified Constitutions The Rule of Law and Parliamentary Sovereignty Magna Carta and the Early Constitution The Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949 Individual and Collective Rights Constitutional Change since 1997 and Codification

The Structure and Role of Parliament

Topic overview The Two Chambers and Parliamentary Privilege The Passage of a Public Bill Burke and the Models of Representation The Roles of MPs and Peers Scrutiny of the Executive and PMQs Select Committees, the Opposition and Parliament's Influence

The Prime Minister and Cabinet

Topic overview The Core Executive and the Prime Minister's Powers Policy Making and the Limits of Prime Ministerial Power Ministerial Responsibility Accountability in Practice and Crichel Down

The UK Judiciary

Topic overview Judicial Independence and Impartiality The Constitutional Reform Act, Separation of Powers and Appointments The UK Supreme Court and the Grounds of Judicial Review Judicial Review and the Miller Cases

Devolution

Topic overview Devolution, Federalism and the Scottish Parliament Scotland and Wales since Devolution Northern Ireland and Power-Sharing The West Lothian Question and English Devolution The Barnett Formula, Sewel and the Impact of Devolution

Democracy and Participation

Topic overview Democracy, Legitimacy and Direct Democracy Direct and Representative Democracy Compared The Reform Acts of 1832 to 1884 and the Chartists Suffragists and Suffragettes Who Can Vote Today, and Votes at 16 Forms of Political Participation Turnout, Apathy and Proposals for Reform Partisan and Class Dealignment

Elections and Referendums

Topic overview Majoritarian and Proportional Systems The Additional Member System, STV and Other Systems The 1945 and 1979 General Elections The 1997 and 2010 General Elections Models of Voting Behaviour Leadership, Manifestos, Campaigns and the Media The Nature and Use of Referendums Regulating Referendums, and the Case For and Against

Political Parties in the UK

Topic overview Party Functions and the Conservative Party Labour: Origins, Clause IV and Structure The Liberal Democrats Party Funding and Short Money Funding Controversies, the Media and Electoral Outcomes Two-Party, Multi-Party and Dominant-Party Systems Minor Parties in UK Politics

Pressure Groups in the UK

Topic overview What Pressure Groups Are Outsider Groups, Methods and Influence Pluralism and the Democratic Balance Sheet Think Tanks, Lobbying and the Media

The UK and the European Union

Topic overview The Institutions of the European Union EU Aims and the Four Freedoms The Impact of the EU on the UK

The Constitutional Framework of US Government

Topic overview The Nature of the US Constitution Checks and Balances and Constitutional Principles Federalism and the Division of Powers Coercive Federalism and Federal-State Disputes Amending the Constitution Informal Constitutional Change and the Rights Amendments

Congress

Topic overview The Composition of Congress The Powers of Each Chamber, Leadership and Elections How a Bill Passes Congress The Power of the Purse, Oversight and Representation

The US Presidency

Topic overview The Sources of Presidential Power Signing Statements, Pardons and Informal Powers Congressional Checks on the President Term Limits, the Press and Other Constraints The US Cabinet, EXOP and the Bureaucracy The Imperial and Imperilled Presidency

The US Supreme Court

Topic overview The Composition and Tenure of the Court How a Case Reaches the Supreme Court Judicial Review and Guardian of the Constitution The Debate over the Court's Power The Warren Court and Landmark Rulings Later Landmark Rulings and Court Eras

US Elections and Direct Democracy

Topic overview Congressional Elections and Electoral College Votes The Electoral College The Invisible Primary, Primaries and Caucuses Super Tuesday, Momentum and Delegates What Decides a US Election Campaign Finance Regulation Party Coalitions and Voting Behaviour Realignment, Dealignment, Split-Ticket Voting and Turnout Direct Democracy at State Level

Political Parties in the USA

Topic overview The Ideologies of the Two Main Parties Party Traditions and Organisation Polarisation and Ideological Sorting Factionalism and the Decline or Renewal Debate Two-Party Dominance and Ballot Access Third Parties and the Spoiler Role

Pressure Groups in the USA

Topic overview Pressure Groups and Political Pluralism Think Tanks, Lobbying and Group Methods PACs and Super PACs The Revolving Door, Iron Triangles and Group Power

Civil Rights in the USA

Topic overview Civil Liberties, Civil Rights and the Bill of Rights Entrenchment, Incorporation and the Rights Amendments Landmark Rights Rulings and the Supreme Court The Civil Rights Movement Rights Groups and the Courts Contested Rights Issues Today

Comparative Politics: Theoretical Approaches

Topic overview Structural, Rational and Cultural Approaches

Constitutions and Legislatures Compared

Topic overview The Two Constitutions Compared Devolution and Federalism Compared Parliament and Congress: Powers and Chambers Committees, Scrutiny and Control of Money

The Executives Compared

Topic overview Prime Minister and President: Office, Tenure and Cabinet Executive Power over Courts, Officials and Abroad

The Judiciaries Compared

Topic overview The Two Supreme Courts: Appointment, Tenure and Powers Judicial Impact, Activism and Restraint

Electoral and Party Systems Compared

Topic overview Electing Legislatures and Executives Compared Campaign Finance, Direct Democracy and Voting Compared Party Systems and Third-Party Barriers Party Organisation and Unity Compared Minor Parties and the Ideological Spectrum

Pressure Groups Compared

Topic overview Access Points and Group Power Compared Group Methods and Targets Compared

Civil Rights Compared

Topic overview How Rights Are Protected in Each Country Security, Guns and Reforming the Rights Framework

Liberalism

Topic overview The Individual and Individualism Limited Government and Foundational Equality Classical Liberalism and the Night-Watchman State Modern Liberalism and the Continuity Debate Locke and Mill Rawls, Wollstonecraft and Friedan

Conservatism

Topic overview Human Imperfection in Conservative Thought Organic Society and Paternalism Traditional, One-Nation and New Right Conservatism The New Right: Neo-Liberalism and Neo-Conservatism Hobbes, Burke and Oakeshott Rand and Nozick

Socialism

Topic overview Common Humanity, Equality and Social Class Alienation, Common Ownership and Social Justice The Vanguard Party, Gradualism and Social Democracy Revolutionary Socialism and Social Democracy Compared Marx, Engels and Luxemburg Webb, Crosland and Giddens

NationalismIdeology

Topic overview The Nation, the State and Self-Determination Views of the Nation and Economic Nationalism Minority Nationalism State Nationalism and Nation-Building Types of Nationalism Rousseau and Herder Mazzini, Garvey and Maurras

FeminismIdeology

Topic overview Sex, Gender and Patriarchy Feminist Views of the State Liberal and Radical Feminism Socialist, Difference and Post-Feminism Perkins Gilman and de Beauvoir Millett, Rowbotham and hooks

MulticulturalismIdeology

Topic overview Multiculturalism and the Politics of Recognition Assimilation, Integration and the Melting Pot Integration and Segregation Interculturalism and Civic Integration Berlin and Kymlicka Taylor and Parekh Modood: Multiculturalism and Citizenship

AnarchismIdeology

Topic overview The Anarchist Case against the State Propaganda by the Deed and the Charge of Chaos Individualist and Collectivist Anarchism Stirner and Bakunin Goldman, Kropotkin and Proudhon

EcologismIdeology

Topic overview Ecologism, Environmentalism and Ecocentrism Sustainability and the Limits to Growth Light Greens and Dark Greens Green Consumerism, Technology and Greenwashing Leopold and Carson Schumacher, Merchant and Bookchin

Elections and Referendums

8 subtopics
24 things to know
Paper 1

What Elections and Referendums covers

The electoral systems used across the UK and what each does to a result, three general elections that turned on something, why people vote as they do, and the place of referendums.

Where it is assessed

Paper 1

Government and politics of the UK.

Check the AQA specification ↗

The 8 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Process

What is a majoritarian electoral system?

Key term

Which system is used to elect the House of Commons?

Numbers

Use the 2015 general election to illustrate the disproportionality of first-past-the-post.

Process

Explain the likely effect of first-past-the-post on the party system.

Key term

Is the additional member system fully proportional? Justify your answer.

Numbers

Which system is used for Scottish local elections?

Key term

Why is the 1945 general election regarded as a turning point?

Numbers

What was the outcome of the 1979 general election?

Numbers

What was the outcome of the 1997 general election?

Numbers

Which election would you choose to illustrate the influence of leadership, and why?

Key term

How did Labour change its constitution before 1997, and why did it matter?

Key term

Compare the sources of the Conservative victory in 1979 with Labour's in 1997.

Key term

Define voting behaviour.

Key term

How did class traditionally shape voting in the UK?

Key term

How has education emerged as a dividing line in voting?

Key term

How does leadership affect voting?

Key term

Distinguish the air war from the ground war in campaigning.

Key term

Explain agenda-setting as a form of media influence.

Key term

Why are UK referendums legally advisory rather than binding?

Key term

Why was the 1975 referendum called?

Key term

What did the 2004 referendum in the north east of England decide, and what was its effect?

Key term

Which body regulates referendums in the UK, and what are its main functions?

Key term

Why do critics argue that referendums are called for the wrong reasons?

Key term

Explain how the 2016 referendum illustrates the tension between direct and representative democracy.

Take Elections and Referendums further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

First Past the Post vs Proportional representation
First Past the Post: plurality contest in single-member constituencies. Proportional representation: seats broadly reflect vote share.
Referendum vs Election
Referendum: popular vote on a specific issue. Election: popular choice between candidates or parties.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is a majoritarian electoral system?
Model answer
One designed to manufacture a decisive winner and single-party government in single-member seats, either by requiring a majority of the votes still in the count after preferences are transferred, as AV and SV do, or by awarding the seat on a simple plurality, as first-past-the-post does.
2
What defines a proportional electoral system?
Model answer
It allocates seats to parties in close relation to their share of the votes cast, usually through multi-member constituencies or a party list.
3
Which system is used to elect the House of Commons?
Model answer
First-past-the-post, a single-member plurality system in which each constituency returns the candidate with the most votes.
4
Explain how a candidate can win a seat under first-past-the-post with well under half the votes.
Model answer
Only a plurality is required, so where several candidates split the vote the winner needs merely more votes than any single rival, not an overall majority.
5
What is a wasted vote?
Model answer
It is a vote that contributes nothing to the outcome, either cast for a losing candidate or piled up beyond the number the winner needed.
6
Define a safe seat.
Model answer
A safe seat is a constituency where one party's majority is so large that the same party is expected to win at every election.

See the rest and revise

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

1Closed book

2Open book

3Closed book

The 3-step method, run for you

Answer cold, learn it, then prove it stuck. Levo tracks the jump between your first attempt and your last.

The Nature and Sources of the British Constitution

The Structure and Role of Parliament

The Prime Minister and Cabinet

The UK Judiciary

Cram a whole paper in one sitting

Sort every topic into what you know and what you do not, then drill only the weak ones.

The Code.

MinisterialCabinetParliamentary

Blank Blitz makes facts automatic

Rapid timed gap-fills on the terms and numbers you need to recall without thinking.

AA US court can strike down a hostile law using the constitution.

BA UK court cannot.

CChange must come from persuading legislators.

Build It gets the exam shape right

Assemble a full-mark answer from its marking points, in the order an examiner wants them.

Veto means formal rejection of legislation.

TrueFalse

Test It catches misconceptions

Spot the fault in a statement. The traps are the mistakes students actually make.

721941163128510

Brain Breaks between sessions

Short focus games to reset attention, so the next set lands better than the last.