Two elections, two radically different voting systems and two contrasting results

The 2021 Canadian federal election has shone a spotlight on the flaws of the First Past the Post voting system.

In Canada’s election, the First Past the Post system meant that the seats won by each party in Canada’s Parliament do not even vaguely reflect the vote share. The Liberal Party got 32.6% of the vote, but won 47% of the seats in Parliament.

Even more worryingly, the most voted for party in Canada’s election came a poor second. The Conservatives in Canada got 2% more votes than the Liberal Party, but won 40 less seats.

These are signs of an electoral system which is not fit for purpose.

On the other hand, the use of the Additional Member System (AMS) in the 2021 German Bundestag election produced a more representative and democratic result. 

In Germany, the SPD gained 25.7% of the vote, ahead of the CDU/CSU on 24.1% and the Greens on 14.7%. The seats won in the Bundestag reflected this vote share. The SPD were awarded 206 of the 735 seats, the CDU/CSU won 196 seats and the Greens 118. 

Germany’s use of a proportional voting system means that their Parliament fairly reflects how people voted.

After these two elections, we decided to gather our supporters' views on the different electoral systems. We heard from over 2,200 of our supporters. 

Our survey showed that 75% of our supporters would like to see the German Additional Member System used in future UK General Elections.  14.5% of our supporters prefer the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system. Only 1% want to keep the First Past the Post system. 

Our supporters would like to see either AMS or STV used in UK General Elections because -

“The number of elected representatives from each party reflects their total support in the country.”

“Allows for greater range of voices to be heard, better correlation between votes cast and number of representatives.”

“It engages the public widely in politics.  Every vote counts and everybody's opinion matters.”

4.8% of our supporters said Party List proportional representation was their preferred electoral system for future UK General Elections. The majority of our supporters preferred AMS and STV because it retains a direct link between an MP and their constituency.

Here’s what one supporter said -

“[The Additional Member System] produces a fairer (more proportional) result while preserving the link between individual candidates and localities (constituencies)”

It’s clear that changing the UK’s electoral system is an important issue for our supporters. 67% of them stated that a party’s policy on voting systems is ‘very important’ to them when they decide how to vote. So, we will continue to call for a proportional voting system to be introduced in all UK elections.

Your support has never been more important as we fight to get the UK’s major parties to promise electoral reform in their next General Election manifestos. 

Could you help us by making a donation to our campaign today? 

- Alice, Unlock Democracy