What Are Voting Systems?

The voting system is the way we elect our representatives.

There are lots of different ways to do this. You could have 650 constituencies that elect one MP each, or one constituency that elects 650 and everything in between. Do you vote for an individual or a party? Do you cast one vote, multiple votes or give instructions for transferring your vote?

The type of system we use decides whether our government truly represent us and whether we can hold them to account if they let us down.

In Britain today there are several voting systems used at different levels of government, and each one has radically different implications for voters, for parties, for Parliament and for the government.

Some electoral systems are good at making the numbers of MPs be in proportion to the votes cast, some at linking MPs to constituencies and some give voters more choice over who is elected.