Voting in Scotland

[Dave2002]

A while back I mentioned voting in Scotland, plus the fact that I didn't understand how it is supposed to work.

Seems it uses the Additional Member System - AMS - described here - https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/...member-system/

Clearly it's some form of compromise, but arguably (??) better than nothing.

The "main" parties clearly want one to vote e.g. Fred Bloggs/Our Party and then OurParty
but the example shows that it is possible to vote for a person who is in one party, and then vote for another party for the party lists.

I guess it's not really that easy to figure out who is going to be on the party list - though one can presumably obtain a list of all the candidates.

[johncorrigan]

A while back I mentioned voting in Scotland, plus the fact that I didn't understand how it is supposed to work.

Seems it uses the Additional Member System - AMS - described here - https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/...member-system/

Clearly it's some form of compromise, but arguably (??) better than nothing.

The "main" parties clearly want one to vote e.g. Fred Bloggs/Our Party and then OurParty
but the example shows that it is possible to vote for a person who is in one party, and then vote for another party for the party lists.

I guess it's not really that easy to figure out who is going to be on the party list - though one can presumably obtain a list of all the candidates.

As I understand it, Dave, it was designed with the idea that NO party would be able to gain an overall majority in Holyrood, thus encouraging a more consensus approach to government. The first vote is for the constituency MSP based on a first-past-the-post. The second vote is for a party and is based on a party proportional representation list - I usually split my vote, voting for a main party candidate for the constituency MSP, and then usually vote for a smaller party in the hope that they will get at least one of their list candidates through. This has proved successful for a party like the Greens who do not tend to campaign for the first past the post, and instead look for people to cast their second vote for them. These candidates represent regions rather than an individual constituency.

As I said, the system was designed to stop a single party majority in Holyrood, though the SNP managed a majority the parliament before last. During this parliament the SNP Government have been assisted by the 6 Green MSPs who shared their Independence and pro-European agenda. Hard to say what will happen this time round - Salmond's Alba party are looking for second votes, but polls so far are not suggesting that they will not get much from the Nationalists. The Conservatives are quite strong but they are losing their previous leader, Davidson, to the Lords, and the new guy seems a bit of a drip. I think it'll be close.

[Dave2002]

Not trying to persuade anyone which way to vote - but this is worth watching - - https://youtu.be/OgSQ47iNJ3U

More astute and media concerned people might have asked for a few retakes. The clip from around 20 seconds in appeared recently on the TV news!

Voting papers have arrived - having decided to go for postal votes. Top of the list is the "Abolish the Scottish Parliament Party" - which would get the most votes if people just vote for the first line on the paper.
I won't vote for them - but there's still a substantial choice - though I guess that most won't have any significant success.