0

Electoral Systems: A Comparative Analysis

Description: This quiz is designed to assess your understanding of various electoral systems used around the world. It covers concepts such as types of electoral systems, their advantages and disadvantages, and their impact on political representation and governance.
Number of Questions: 15
Created by:
Tags: electoral systems comparative politics voting systems democracy
Attempted 0/15 Correct 0 Score 0

Which electoral system is characterized by the election of a single winner from a single-member district?

  1. First-past-the-post

  2. Proportional representation

  3. Single transferable vote

  4. Mixed-member proportional representation


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

First-past-the-post is a single-winner electoral system in which the candidate with the most votes in a single-member district is elected.

Which electoral system is designed to ensure that political parties receive a number of seats in the legislature that is proportional to their share of the popular vote?

  1. First-past-the-post

  2. Proportional representation

  3. Single transferable vote

  4. Mixed-member proportional representation


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Proportional representation is an electoral system that aims to ensure that political parties receive a number of seats in the legislature that is proportional to their share of the popular vote.

Which electoral system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, and seats are allocated to candidates based on the total number of votes they receive?

  1. First-past-the-post

  2. Proportional representation

  3. Single transferable vote

  4. Mixed-member proportional representation


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Single transferable vote is an electoral system that allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, and seats are allocated to candidates based on the total number of votes they receive.

Which electoral system combines elements of both first-past-the-post and proportional representation?

  1. First-past-the-post

  2. Proportional representation

  3. Single transferable vote

  4. Mixed-member proportional representation


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Mixed-member proportional representation is an electoral system that combines elements of both first-past-the-post and proportional representation.

What is the main advantage of the first-past-the-post electoral system?

  1. It is simple to understand and implement.

  2. It produces strong and stable governments.

  3. It ensures that minority parties are represented in the legislature.

  4. It encourages cooperation and compromise among political parties.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The main advantage of the first-past-the-post electoral system is that it is simple to understand and implement.

What is the main disadvantage of the first-past-the-post electoral system?

  1. It can lead to governments with weak mandates.

  2. It can result in the over-representation of certain regions or groups.

  3. It can discourage the formation of new political parties.

  4. All of the above


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The main disadvantage of the first-past-the-post electoral system is that it can lead to governments with weak mandates, result in the over-representation of certain regions or groups, and discourage the formation of new political parties.

What is the main advantage of the proportional representation electoral system?

  1. It ensures that minority parties are represented in the legislature.

  2. It encourages cooperation and compromise among political parties.

  3. It produces more stable governments.

  4. It is simple to understand and implement.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The main advantage of the proportional representation electoral system is that it ensures that minority parties are represented in the legislature.

What is the main disadvantage of the proportional representation electoral system?

  1. It can lead to weak and unstable governments.

  2. It can make it difficult for voters to hold politicians accountable.

  3. It can encourage the formation of new political parties.

  4. All of the above


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The main disadvantage of the proportional representation electoral system is that it can lead to weak and unstable governments, make it difficult for voters to hold politicians accountable, and encourage the formation of new political parties.

Which electoral system is most likely to produce a two-party system?

  1. First-past-the-post

  2. Proportional representation

  3. Single transferable vote

  4. Mixed-member proportional representation


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

First-past-the-post is most likely to produce a two-party system because it encourages voters to vote for the two major parties in order to avoid wasting their vote.

Which electoral system is most likely to produce a multi-party system?

  1. First-past-the-post

  2. Proportional representation

  3. Single transferable vote

  4. Mixed-member proportional representation


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Proportional representation is most likely to produce a multi-party system because it allows voters to vote for smaller parties without wasting their vote.

Which electoral system is most likely to produce a government with a strong mandate?

  1. First-past-the-post

  2. Proportional representation

  3. Single transferable vote

  4. Mixed-member proportional representation


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

First-past-the-post is most likely to produce a government with a strong mandate because it allows the winning party to win a majority of seats in the legislature.

Which electoral system is most likely to produce a government with a weak mandate?

  1. First-past-the-post

  2. Proportional representation

  3. Single transferable vote

  4. Mixed-member proportional representation


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Proportional representation is most likely to produce a government with a weak mandate because it often results in a coalition government, which can be less stable and effective than a single-party government.

Which electoral system is most likely to encourage cooperation and compromise among political parties?

  1. First-past-the-post

  2. Proportional representation

  3. Single transferable vote

  4. Mixed-member proportional representation


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Proportional representation is most likely to encourage cooperation and compromise among political parties because it allows smaller parties to have a voice in the legislature, which can lead to the formation of coalition governments.

Which electoral system is most likely to discourage cooperation and compromise among political parties?

  1. First-past-the-post

  2. Proportional representation

  3. Single transferable vote

  4. Mixed-member proportional representation


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

First-past-the-post is most likely to discourage cooperation and compromise among political parties because it encourages voters to vote for the two major parties in order to avoid wasting their vote.

Which electoral system is most likely to lead to political instability?

  1. First-past-the-post

  2. Proportional representation

  3. Single transferable vote

  4. Mixed-member proportional representation


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Proportional representation is most likely to lead to political instability because it often results in coalition governments, which can be less stable and effective than single-party governments.

- Hide questions