SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL (SS 2) GOVERNMENT LESSON NOTES
TOPIC: ELECTORAL SYSTEMS: TYPES, MERITS, AND DEMERITS
I. COMPREHENSIVE CORE CONCEPTS
1. Meaning of Electoral System
An electoral system, also known as a voting system, is the set of rules and procedures that determine how elections and referendums are conducted and how their results are determined. It is the legal and constitutional framework that governs the process of translating votes cast by citizens into seats won by political parties or candidates.
An electoral system is not just about the act of voting; it encompasses the method of counting votes, the division of the country into constituencies, the qualifications of voters and candidates, and the specific formula used to declare a winner. In a democracy, the electoral system is the "engine room" that determines who gets political power and how representative the government will be.
2. Types of Electoral Systems
A. Simple Majority System (First-Past-The-Post - FPTP)
This is the most common system, used in Nigeria, the UK, and the USA. In this system, the candidate with the highest number of votes in a constituency is declared the winner, regardless of whether they achieved an absolute majority (over 50%).
- How it works: If Candidate A gets 40% of the votes, Candidate B gets 35%, and Candidate C gets 25%, Candidate A is the winner. Even though 60% of the people voted against Candidate A, they still represent the entire constituency.
- Merits:
- Simplicity: It is easy for voters to understand and for officials to count.
- Direct Accountability: It creates a strong link between a representative and their specific geographic constituency.
- Stability: It often results in a clear majority for one party, leading to a stable government.
- Demerits:
- Wasted Votes: Votes cast for losing candidates do not count toward anything.
- Minority Rule: A candidate can win even if the majority of the electorate prefers someone else.
- Exclusion: Smaller parties struggle to gain any representation.
B. Proportional Representation (PR)
The Proportional Representation system is designed to ensure that the number of seats a party wins in the legislature is directly proportional to the percentage of the total national vote they received.
- How it works: If there are 100 seats in parliament and Party X wins 30% of the national vote, they are automatically given 30 seats. This is usually done through a "Party List" where the party ranks its candidates, and the top names get the seats.
- Merits:
- Fairness: Every vote counts. Even small parties get representation if they meet a minimum threshold.
- Inclusivity: It reflects the diverse political opinions of the entire country.
- Reduces Wasted Votes: Almost every vote contributes to the election of someone.
- Demerits:
- Weak Link: There is no specific representative for a local area; people vote for parties, not individuals.
- Coalition Instability: It often leads to "hung parliaments" where many small parties must form complex, often unstable, coalitions to govern.
- Complexity: The mathematical formulas used can be confusing for the average voter.
C. Second Ballot System (Run-off Election)
In this system, a candidate must win an absolute majority (50% + 1) to be declared the winner. If no candidate reaches this target in the first round, a second election is held.
- How it works: Usually, only the top two candidates from the first round proceed to the second ballot. This ensures that the eventual winner has the support of more than half of the voters.
- Merits:
- Broad Mandate: The winner is clearly supported by the majority.
- Encourages Consensus: Candidates must appeal to a wider audience to win the second round.
- Demerits:
- Expensive: Holding two elections is a massive financial and logical burden on the state.
- Voter Fatigue: Fewer people may show up for the second round.
D. Alternative Vote (Preferential Voting)
This is a more complex system where voters rank candidates in order of preference (1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice, etc.) on a single ballot.
- How it works: If a candidate gets an absolute majority of 1st-preference votes, they win. If not, the candidate with the fewest 1st-preference votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the candidates their voters ranked second. This continues until someone has a majority.
- Merits:
- Logical Winner: It ensures the winner is the candidate most "acceptable" to the largest number of people.
- No Wasted Votes: Your second choice matters if your first choice is eliminated.
- Demerits:
- Complexity: It requires a high level of literacy and understanding from voters.
- Slow Results: Counting and redistributing votes takes significant time.
II. REAL-WORLD EXAMPLES (SCENARIOS)
- Scenario A: The Classroom Prefect Election (Simple Majority)
In a class of 50 students, three students run for Class Captain. John gets 20 votes, Mary gets 18, and Peter gets 12. Under Simple Majority, John wins. Note that 30 students (the majority) did not want John, but he still wins.
- Scenario B: The National Assembly (Nigeria)
Nigeria uses the Simple Majority system for the House of Representatives. Each local government area or federal constituency elects one person. This is why you often see a "winner-takes-all" atmosphere in Nigerian politics.
- Scenario C: Multi-Party Unity (Proportional Representation)
Imagine a country like Israel or South Africa. If a new, small "Youth Party" gets 5% of the national vote, they get 5% of the seats in parliament. This allows youth voices to be heard even if they aren't the biggest party in any single city.
III. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
How to Calculate Election Results (Step-by-Step)
Case: The Second Ballot System
- Step 1: The First Vote. 100 people vote. Candidate A (40), Candidate B (30), Candidate C (30). No one has 51 votes (the majority).
- Step 2: Elimination. Candidate C is eliminated (or all but the top two).
- Step 3: The Run-off. A new election is held between Candidate A and Candidate B.
- Step 4: Final Result. People who voted for C now choose between A and B. If Candidate B gets 25 of C's former supporters, Candidate B wins with 55 votes.
IV. SUGGESTED HOME PROJECTS (PROJECT-BASED LEARNING)
Project Title: "The Family Voting Simulation"
- Goal: To observe how different electoral systems change the outcome of a decision.
- Materials: Small pieces of paper (ballots), a pen, an empty box (ballot box), 5-10 family members or neighbors.
- Procedure:
- Pick a topic (e.g., "What should we have for Sunday dinner?" or "What movie should we watch?").
- List 4 options.
- Round 1 (Simple Majority): Everyone votes for one choice. Declare the winner.
- Round 2 (Alternative Vote): Everyone ranks the 4 options from 1 to 4.
- Tallying: Follow the elimination process for Alternative Vote.
- Comparison: Did the winner change? Write a short report on which system felt "fairer" to your family.
V. LIFE SKILLS INTEGRATION
- Critical Decision Making: Understanding electoral systems teaches you that how you make a decision is as important as the decision itself. In your career, you will use these methods to lead committees or boards.
- Conflict Resolution: Systems like Proportional Representation teach the value of "Compromise." In life, you often have to work with people you didn't vote for; understanding their representation helps in maintaining peace.
- Civic Responsibility: By learning these systems, you become a more informed voter. You will understand why your vote matters and how it is being used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
VI. ASSESSMENT THROUGH APPLICATION
- Analytical Task: A country has 10 seats in parliament. Party A gets 60% of the votes, and Party B gets 40%.
- Under Simple Majority, if Party A wins all 10 constituencies by small margins, how many seats does Party B get? (Answer: 0).
- Under Proportional Representation, how many seats does Party B get? (Answer: 4).
- Question: Which result is more stable? Which is more fair? Explain your answer.
- Creative Task: Design a "Hybrid Electoral System" for Nigeria that combines the benefits of Simple Majority and Proportional Representation. Write a one-page proposal for INEC.
VII. STUDENT REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Why do you think Nigeria continues to use the Simple Majority system despite the "wasted votes" demerit?
- If you were starting a new country today, which electoral system would you choose to ensure there is no ethnic domination?
- How does a Second Ballot system prevent a "weak" leader from taking power?
- In your own opinion, does a candidate need to be "liked" by everyone, or just "liked more" than the opponent? How does the Alternative Vote address this?
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