Democratic Processes: How MPs and councillors are elected
There are two popular ways for electing representatives: first-past-the post and proportional representation.
1. First-past-the-post system
This is the system that is used for MPs and councillors.
This is how it works for MPs. For councillors it follows the same principles but the areas are much smaller.
• The country is divided up into smaller, geographical, areas, constituencies (e.g. East Devon, Exeter, Torbay).
• Candidates from different parties stand against each other in an election.
• Voters vote for their preferred candidate (by putting a “X” next to their name on a ballot paper).
• The candidate that gets the most votes wins the election and then represents that area in the House of Commons.
This is the system that is used for MPs and councillors.
This is how it works for MPs. For councillors it follows the same principles but the areas are much smaller.
• The country is divided up into smaller, geographical, areas, constituencies (e.g. East Devon, Exeter, Torbay).
• Candidates from different parties stand against each other in an election.
• Voters vote for their preferred candidate (by putting a “X” next to their name on a ballot paper).
• The candidate that gets the most votes wins the election and then represents that area in the House of Commons.
2. Proportional representation
Members of the European Parliament (or MEPs) are elected by proportional representation.
Members of the European Parliament (or MEPs) are elected by proportional representation.
- In this system voters vote for a party and then the percentage of votes gained by that party is turned into the same percentage of seats in an assembly.
- For example in an election Party A gain 52% of the vote, Party B 30% and Party C 18%. In the assembly there are 100 seats so Party A have 52 representatives, B 30 and C 18.