Scottish Parliament elections use a mixed member system,

comprising a first-past-the-post component and a proportional

representation component.

Proportional Representation

Proportional Representation

What does it mean? An electoral system in which parties

gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them.

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

The Scottish Parliament uses the

Additional Member System

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

How the Additional Member System (AMS) works

There are 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

There are two ways an MSP can be elected. Each elector (voter) has two votes.

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

Your First Vote Scotland is divided into 73 constituencies

and each constituency elects one MSP. These are known as CONSTITUENCY MSPs and are elected by 'first past the post' in exactly

the same way as MPs are elected to Westminster. This is the elector's 'first vote'.

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

Your Second Vote The 'second vote' is used to elect 56 additional members. Scotland is divided into 8 parliamentary

Regions and each region elects 7 regional MSPs. In the second vote the voter votes for a party rather than a

candidate. The parties are then allocated a number of additional members to make the overall result more

proportional. The regional MSPs are selected from lists compiled by the parties. These MSPs are also sometimes

referred to as List MSPs.

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

73CONSTITUENCY

MSP

56REGIONAL(OR LIST)

MSP

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

The List Vote How Does It Work?

THE D’HONDT FORMULA (Victor D’Hondt was a Belgian Mathematician)

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

The Formula The regional vote cast ÷

number of MSPs already won in the region, + 1

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

The party or person with the largest number after this formula is applied

wins the round and wins One Regional MSP.

This formula will be used 7 times in 7 rounds to elect 7 regional MSPs

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

Features of the Additional Member System

Voters get two votes - to elect 1 constituency MSP and 7 regional/ list MSPs Each person living in Scotland has a total of 8 MSPs to represent them. The overall result is fairly proportional.

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

It is unlikely that one party will get an overall majority and therefore coalitions are likely. (For example, see the 1999 election results when Labour and the Liberal Democrats formed a coalition government - the Scottish Executive)

New parties and smaller parties are more likely to get representation than by using 'first past the post'. (e.g. Green Party, Independents, etc)

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

ON-GOING DISCUSSIONS, AMENDMENTS,

ADJUSTMENTS, ETC, ETC

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

Willie Sullivan, director of ERS Scotland: "Just because Scotland's modern electoral system makes Westminster look like a tribal council doesn't mean that we shouldn't

try and make it better.

"Concentrations of power are never good. We are convinced our democracy would work better with more parties in the system so that more voices are represented

and heard and that power is shared, checked and balanced."

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

Derek MacKay, the SNP's business convenor, said it agreed with reforming Holyrood's voting system, but said it was powerless to do so as this was controlled by Westminster.

"The problem this report does not address in its recommendations is that control of Scotland's voting

system is held firmly at Westminster," he said. "The SNP has long argued for fairer voting. However, what this

year's results show is that regardless of the system people vote for the party that best represents their views and

ambitions."

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

END