2. Starter Point Explain Example
Answer the following K/U question.
PLEASE try and summarise in your own words- use your notes to help you but do not copy word for word.
7 mins
Point Explain Example
Explain, in detail, the reasons why some political parties’ election campaigns are successful during Scottish Parliament elections.
You should give a maximum of two reasons in your answer marks

3. To explain the AMS voting system
Learning Intentions
To explain the AMS voting system
To identify the advantages and disadvantages of this system
Success
criteria
I can successfully explain the Additional member system.
I can recall the advantages and disadvantages of this voting system whilst answering a K/U question.

4. Key Vocab
SEATS: a term used in politics to describe the number of representatives in a parliament. For example, there are 129 MSPs therefore there are 129 SEATS in the Scottish Parliament.
PROPORTIONAL: % OF VOTES GAINED = % OF SEATS GAINED
CONSTITUENCY: a small area which elects a specific representative. The size of the area is based on population.
REGION: a larger area, made up of a group of constituencies, which elects a group representatives. Also based on total population.
VOTERS/ELECTORATE: members of the public who are eligible to vote in an election.
TURNOUT: the % of eligible voters who actually vote in an election.

5. How are MSPs elected?
Elections for the Scottish Parliament use a proportional representation voting system known as: The Additional Member System (AMS) Proportional Representation systems provide a more proportional reflection of the way the public votes.

6. Scottish Parliament elections
YOU HAVE TWO VOTES!

7. Voting Systems
There are two main types of voting you need to know about:
First Past the Post (FPTP)
Proportional Representation (PR)
FPTP
This is when the candidate with the most votes is elected
LABOUR
SNP
CONSERVATIVE
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

8. What do we mean by proportional?
Voting Systems
Proportional Representation (PR)
This is when the number of votes a party gets = a proportional number of seats
What do we mean by proportional?
With PR, the number of votes a party gets is roughly equal to the number of seats in parliament the party gets.
E.g. if a party gets 25% of the vote, they get 25% of the seats
If 4 people were to share a cake equally, each person would get one quarter or 25%
Each gets a fair proportion
So in PR, you vote for a party rather than a candidate
The party chooses who gets the seat from a list of their best people

9. This is a mixed electoral system – every voter casts TWO votes.
How does AMS work?
This is a mixed electoral system – every voter casts TWO votes.

10. Constituency Vote
Vote one elects the 73 CONSTITUENCY MSPs. Winner is calculated using the First Past the Post method = person with the most votes becomes the MSP for that area.

11. Yellow = SNP
Red = Labour
Blue = Conservative
Orange = Lib Dems

12. Regional Vote
Vote 2- elects the Regional MSPs. 8 regions across Scotland = 7 MSPs per region (56 REGIONAL MSPs total). Uses a system known as PARTY LIST. Vote for the PARTY not the person. The second ballot paper makes sure that the result of the election is more proportional (fairer).

13. Scottish Parliament Regions There are 8 regions of Scotland:
West of Scotland
Lothian
South Scotland
Central Scotland
Mid Scotland and Fife
Glasgow
North East Scotland
Highlands and Islands
– interactive map

14. Party list
Before each election, every political party will draw up a “Party List”. This will contain the people they wish to have represent them, as MSPs in the Scottish Parliament. Once the votes for each party have been calculated, each party will be made aware of the seats they have won in each region.

15. First Vote- constituency results- FPTP
Second vote- AMS- regional results
Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock & Irvine Valley)
Joan McAlpine- SNP
Paul Wheelhouse- SNP
Emma Harper- SNP
Rachael Hamilton- Conservatives
Brian Whittle- Conservatives
Claudia Beamish- Labour
Colin Smyth- Labour
8 MSP’s represent you at National level
Remember-
129 MSP’s in total
73 from constituency FPTP voting
56 from regional level AMS voting

16. Don’t glue these in until we go over the answers
Task: AMS Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
Disadvantages
USE AMS resource sheet
Using the cut and sort sheet complete the table for the advantages and disadvantages of the AMS system
Don’t glue these in until we go over the answers

17. Strengths of AMS
Every vote is important; individual votes are not wasted because the 2nd ballot paper takes all votes into consideration.
The second ballot paper makes sure that the result of the election is fairer. For example, in 2016 the Scottish Greens received 6.6% of votes and ended up with 7.1% of the seats.
AMS often produces coalition or minority governments. This is a positive as parties must COMPROMISE in order to pass laws. Ultimately this reflects public opinion more accurately.
Smaller parties get better representation; there are currently 6 Green MSPs in the Scottish Parliament and 5 Lib Dems.

18. Weaknesses of AMS
AMS tends to produce coalition/minority governments, which involve compromise. Compromise often leads to conflict and ultimately weak government.
Small parties, or even individuals, can hold the balance of power which gives them a lot of influence. Many people suggest this does not represent the population fairly.
Many people find the system extremely confusing because of the two different types of ballot papers. For example, in 2007 about 100,000 ballot papers were rejected as they were incorrectly completed. This means 100,000 people’s votes were not taken into consideration
Regional MSPs do not have direct links with their constituents; they represent very large areas and are often unknown to people as they are not directly chosen by voters.

19. “Regional MSP’s do not have a direct link to their constituents”
Starter
Answer the following question FULLY.
Smaller parties get better representation; there are currently 6 Green MSPs in the Scottish Parliament and 5 Lib Dems.
“The Additional Member System means that smaller parties get better representation”
Explain this
“Regional MSP’s do not have a direct link to their constituents”
Regional MSPs do not have direct links with their constituents; they represent very large areas and are often unknown to people as they are not directly chosen by voters.

20. We are learning to… I can…
To explain fully what the terms majority, minority and coalition government means.
To recall information we have learned about the AMS.
I can…
Understand the different types of government that can exist post election
Complete a Kahoot quiz as part of a group to consolidate my knowledge about AMS.

21. The Impact of AMS
Once an election has been held and the representatives confirmed, a GOVERNMENT must be formed….
GOVERNMENT: A group of people that governs a country or nation. Governments are given authority by the people ensures that policies and laws are put into action appropriately.

22. Majority Government
Formed by a political party that has an absolute majority of seats in parliament.
In Scotland a majority government requires 65 seats out of 129 in Parliament.
Traditionally, people in the UK have been used to majority governments as traditional voting systems usually provide a clear “winner” after an election. The only majority government at the Scottish Parliament was the SNP government from

23. Majority Government
There are many advantages of a majority government:
Majority govs are usually STRONG, because all of the members hold very similar political views.
It is easy to pass laws as members will all vote in the same way (usually!).
Provides stability for the country.
OF COURSE THERE ARE ALSO DISADVANTAGES:
Having one party in power means there will be very little compromise with others.
Many citizens will be disappointed and upset with the government if they voted against them during the election.

24. Coalition Government
When two or more parties join together to form the government in order to create an overall majority.
For example, the Labour/Liberal Democrat coalitions at the Scottish Parliament.
Coalitions are USUALLY formed by parties which have roughly the same ideas and policies. This stops other parties getting together and voting against them. Coalitions are common when AMS is used. There have been two formal coalitions governments in Scotland.

25. Minority Government
When a single political party forms the government despite falling short of an absolute majority of seats, but still has more than any other single party. 
After the 2007 election, The SNP formed a minority government in the Scottish Parliament. This was because the SNP gained 47 seats out of 129 in the election
What kind of issues do you think a minority government would face?
Why would a party form a minority government?

26. Using your Ipads complete the timeline:
TIMELINE TASK
Create a timeline in your jotter with the following years on it:
1999
2003
2007
2011
2016
Using your Ipads complete the timeline:
what kind of government was formed in each election year, which party/parties formed the government and who became the First Minister.

27. Kahoot quiz! One iPad/iPhone per table Come up with a team name
There should be 7 teams in total

28. What are the advantages and disadvantages of coalition government?
The Impact of AMS TASK
AMS was designed to create a better link between the number of votes and the number of seats gained.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of coalition government?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of minority government?
What kind of government currently exists in Scotland?

29. Homework due 31/8/2018