1.3 Elections and Political Participation
Voting systems, turnout and civic engagement.
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Elections and Political Participation
Elections are the lifeblood of democracy. They are the primary mechanism through which citizens exercise their political power, choose their leaders, and hold governments accountable. But elections are just one form of political participation. Citizens in a democracy can engage with the political process in many ways -- from joining a political party to attending a protest, from signing a petition to running for office.
Learning Goals for This Chapter:
- Explain why elections are central to democratic governance
- Compare the main electoral systems: first-past-the-post and proportional representation
- Identify different forms of political participation beyond voting
- Analyse factors that affect voter turnout and political engagement
The way elections are organised -- the electoral system -- has a profound impact on who gets represented, how many parties exist, and how closely government reflects the will of the people. No electoral system is perfect, and each involves trade-offs between different democratic values.
Electoral Systems: How Votes Become Seats
The electoral system is the set of rules that determines how citizens' votes are translated into seats in the legislature. The two most common systems are first-past-the-post and proportional representation.
First-Past-the-Post (FPTP)
- Used in the UK, the US, Canada, and India, among others.
- The country is divided into single-member constituencies (districts).
- In each constituency, the candidate with the most votes wins the seat -- even if they receive less than 50% of the vote.
- Advantages: Simple to understand; tends to produce clear majorities and stable governments; creates a direct link between an MP and their constituency.
- Disadvantages: Can produce highly disproportionate results; smaller parties are underrepresented; many votes are "wasted" (i.e., they do not contribute to electing anyone).
Example: In the 2019 UK general election, the Liberal Democrats received about 11.5% of the national vote but won only 1.7% of the seats. Under a proportional system, they would have won roughly 75 seats instead of 11.
Proportional Representation (PR)
- Used in Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, and many other countries.
- Seats are allocated to parties in proportion to their share of the total vote.
- There are several variants (party-list PR, mixed-member proportional, single transferable vote).
- Advantages: More representative of voter preferences; smaller parties can win seats; fewer "wasted" votes.
- Disadvantages: Can lead to fragmented parliaments with many small parties; coalition governments may be less stable; weaker direct link between representatives and specific constituencies.
Mixed Systems
Some countries combine elements of both systems. Germany, for example, uses a mixed-member proportional system where voters cast two ballots: one for a constituency candidate (FPTP) and one for a party list (PR).
✏️Example: FPTP vs. PR in Action
Imagine a country with 100 seats in parliament and three parties: Party A gets 40% of the vote, Party B gets 35%, and Party C gets 25%. How might the seat distribution differ under FPTP and PR?
Under Proportional Representation:
Seats are allocated roughly in proportion to vote share:
- Party A: ~40 seats
- Party B: ~35 seats
- Party C: ~25 seats
No single party has a majority (51 seats), so A and C (or A and B) would need to form a coalition government.
Seats are allocated roughly in proportion to vote share:
- Party A: ~40 seats
- Party B: ~35 seats
- Party C: ~25 seats
No single party has a majority (51 seats), so A and C (or A and B) would need to form a coalition government.
Under First-Past-the-Post (simplified scenario):
Because FPTP rewards the party that comes first in each constituency, Party A -- winning the most votes in many districts -- might sweep a disproportionate number of seats:
- Party A: ~55 seats (majority!)
- Party B: ~35 seats
- Party C: ~10 seats
Party A could govern alone despite winning only 40% of the national vote. Party C, whose support is spread evenly across the country, wins far fewer seats than its vote share would suggest.
Key Insight: The electoral system does not just count votes -- it shapes outcomes. Under FPTP, Party A governs alone with 40% support. Under PR, a coalition reflecting 60-75% of voters would govern. Neither outcome is inherently "right" -- they reflect different values (stability vs. representativeness).
📝Oppgave 1
What is a major disadvantage of the first-past-the-post electoral system?
📝Oppgave 2
Norway uses proportional representation while the United Kingdom uses first-past-the-post. Explain one advantage of each system and discuss which system you think is more democratic. Justify your answer.
Political Participation Beyond the Ballot Box
Voting is the most visible form of political participation, but it is far from the only one. A healthy democracy depends on citizens engaging with the political process in multiple ways:
Conventional Participation:
- Voting in local, regional, and national elections
- Joining a political party and attending meetings
- Contacting elected representatives by letter, email, or at public meetings
- Running for office at any level of government
- Volunteering for a political campaign
- Donating to political parties or causes
Unconventional (but Legal) Participation:
- Signing petitions -- online or on paper
- Attending demonstrations and protests to draw attention to issues
- Boycotting products or companies for political reasons
- Joining interest groups or NGOs that advocate for specific causes
- Using social media to raise awareness and mobilise support
- Engaging in civil disobedience -- deliberately breaking a law to protest its injustice (e.g., the Civil Rights Movement in the US)
Voter Turnout: A Democratic Health Check
Voter turnout -- the percentage of eligible citizens who actually vote -- is often seen as a measure of democratic health. Low turnout can indicate voter apathy, disillusionment, or barriers to participation.
| Country | Approx. Turnout (recent elections) |
|---|---|
| Australia | ~91% (compulsory voting) |
| Norway | ~77% |
| United Kingdom | ~67% |
| United States | ~62% (2020, unusually high) |
| Switzerland | ~45% (but frequent referendums) |
Factors affecting turnout include: age (younger voters tend to vote less), education level, socioeconomic status, the competitiveness of the election, ease of registration, and whether voting is compulsory.
📝Oppgave 3
List and briefly explain three forms of political participation other than voting. For each, explain why it is important for a functioning democracy.
📝Oppgave 4
Australia has compulsory voting and a turnout of over 90%. Which of the following is a common argument AGAINST compulsory voting?
Chapter Summary
Key Takeaways:
1. Electoral systems determine how votes are translated into seats. The two main types are first-past-the-post (used in the UK and US) and proportional representation (used in Norway and much of Europe).
2. FPTP tends to produce strong majority governments but can be disproportionate. PR produces more representative parliaments but may require coalition governments.
3. Political participation goes far beyond voting: citizens can join parties, attend protests, sign petitions, contact representatives, and use social media to influence the political process.
4. Voter turnout varies widely between countries and is influenced by factors such as age, education, and whether voting is compulsory.
5. A healthy democracy requires ongoing engagement from its citizens, not just at election time but continuously.
Looking Ahead:
In the next chapter, we will explore political parties and ideologies -- the ideas and movements that shape how societies are governed and how resources are distributed.
📝Oppgave 5
Discussion task: "Young people don't vote because they don't care about politics." Do you agree or disagree with this claim? Write a structured response (150-200 words) exploring the reasons why younger voters often have lower turnout rates.
📝Oppgave 6
Research task: Choose one country that uses a different electoral system from Norway (e.g., the UK, the US, Germany, or New Zealand). Describe how their system works, and analyse one advantage and one disadvantage compared to the Norwegian system. Write 200-250 words.