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Comparing Electoral and Party Systems - Coggle Diagram
Comparing Electoral and Party Systems
Structural Aspect of Elections and Electoral Systems
Terms of Office
Both countries set limited terms for elected offices.
For example, 6 years for a Senator, and 5 years for an MP (Parliament Act 1911)
To amend terms of office, this would require a constitutional eminent for the US, whereas in the UK, only an Act of Parliament.
No overall term limit on the PM, unlike the two full terms imposed on the President by the Twenty-Second Amenment.
Elections and Elected Posts
There are more in the US.
Primaries/ caucuses are universal across the US, whereas local polls to select Conservative candidates was only used in the immediate aftermath of the MPs’ expenses scandal
Some UK cities such as London and Manchester have directly elected Mayors , and police and crime commissioners, the array of local elected officials in the US is more vast.
In the US, there are regular state-level elections for governors and the state legislature.
Advent of devolution has provided more parity.
Electoral Systems
Both countries mostly use FPTP for their legislatures.
There is more variety in the UK (aside from Maine’s ranked choice voting system)
Regional assemblies and until 2020, the European Parliament use other electoral syste,, inclusion the additional members system and the dingle transferable vote.
Coalition and minority are the norm for most devolved assemblies, not visible at any US level.
Rational Aspect of Elections and Electoral Systems
Policies for Natural Supporters
Parties and candidates in both countries appeal to core voters with policies.
Republicans under Trump promised to tighten up immigration at the Mexican border.
2019 Boris Johnson spoke of a points-based immigration system
Parties on the liberal/left spectrum focus more on social justice and reducing poverty.
2019 Labour promised to abolish Universal Credit.
The Use of Social Media
Increasingly sophisticated use of social media to send targeted ads to potential supporters.
Trump’s team controversially posted over 2000 Facebook ads using the word ‘invasion’
In the UK, both main parties used gender specific ads.
Leaders’ Personal Qualities
Both parties emphasise the personal skills and qualities of their candidates in a bid to secure victory.
Trump was a ‘dealmaker’ as a businessman.
Johnson’s experience as a two-term Mayor of London frequently touted by their respective campaign teams.
Capturing Swing States/ Marginal Constituencies
Both play a vital part in determining final election outcomes.
Biden visited Pennsylvania 16 times, Trump visited it 14 times.
Johnson made 36/61 visits to marginals, Corbyn made 58/76.
Differences
Both countries criticise the shortcomings of their opponents, but in the US, this is more personal.
The importance of the midterms means there is more time and money spent in the US for campaigning, whereas this is concentrated on the general election
Rare referendums in the UK can also be targets for campaigning.
Cultural Aspects of Elections and Electoral Systems
Personalities
US election dominated as mcuh by personalities as parties
Due to the individual nature of society, for instance the primaries.
In the UK, they are highly personalised, by remain party focused.
Thatcher and Blair ran highly personalised campaigns
Televised debates between presidential candidates/ party leaders emphasise a focus on personalities.
Third parties and independents are much excluded from the US version
No UK equivalent to the vice presidential candidates’ debate.
Candidate Selection
Primaries and caucuses used in the US, only fundamental in the past 50 years.
Historic participation of UK voters in candidate selection has been limited to party members (generally declining)
The Progressiveera meant the US has had much broader opportunities for ordinary voters to get involved.
Voting Behaviour
Highlights historic and cultural differences and similarities.
In both countries, the youth prefer the more liberal or progressive party.
The gap in the 2017 election between (C) and (L) among 18-29 year olds was the largest on record (60%-27%)
Due to lower university/ college tuition fees and are more liberal towards issues such as immigration.
Issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage are less partisan perhaps due to the lack of ‘religious right’ and lack of secular character.
The ethnic minority trend of voting liberal is more pronounces in the US.
With the US’ greater ethnic diversity, mobilising he minority vote is much more significant, especially in large states with high ethnic minority populations such as Texas and Florida (highly Hispanic)
2019 saw a breakthrough of Tory seats in South Yorkshire and County Durham that’ were economically poor but ethnically lacking in diversity.
Longer-establsihed pattern in the US, where some of the poorest and least ethnically diverse are Republican strongholds, such as the Deep South.
Populist message of patriotism
Both Republicans and Conservatives are finding it harder to win wealthy middle-class suburban seats, or those with a large number of well-educated voters (more cosmopolitan, and globalist outlook).
Cultural Aspect to Third Parties
UK third parties have deeper historic roots
Lib Dems trace back to the beginning of modern parliamentary governmen, and once were one of the main parties.
US party politics usually seen a succession of third parties rise and then quickly disappear such as GEorge Wallace and the American INdepednet Party.
Regional diversity is distinct in the UK, providing a natural setting for the existence and appeal of nationalist parties.
Arguably more idstinct in the US, but becuase the country is so large and so diverse that either one would encounter a plethora of local regional parties or what is in fact the case.
Structural Aspect to Party Dominance
Both use FPTP for most elections
US laws concerning ballot access mae it hard for candidates to get on the ballot, with a lack of national election system a handicap for smaller parties.
For Oklahoma in 2020 was $35,0000, whereas in the UK a £500 deposit, returned if receive 5% of the vote.
Televised debates structures means candidates and independents need added publicity to grow support and visibility to make it onto televised debates
An average of 15% in five designated polls.
Rational Aspects to Party Dominance
Even high profile, independently minded candidates, such as Sanders and Trump chose to run with a party
Independence of operatives is still noted throguh weak party unity despite the rise of hyperpartisanship.
Absence of primaries means canidaetes can better seek election for parties other than Labour and Conservatives
When party defections over, they occur between the two main parties such as New Jersey Congressman Jeff Van Drew, who quit the (D) for (R) in 2020.
In the UK, this involves the Lib Dems, despite defying harsh electoral logic.
In both countries, it makes sense to vote for one of the two main parties as to not waste one’s vote.
Even truer in the US, where every state is essentially a two-party contest.
Rise in tactical voting in the UK.
Significance of Third Parties and Independent Candidates in the UK and the USA
Third parties and independents are more significant in the UK than the US, but independents are more important than third parties in the US.
During 2010-2019 not one party held a majority in the UK as third parties held the balance of power, therefore having a considerable importance.
In terms of electoral success and influencing policy-making.
Third Parties More Important in the UK
Balance of Power
Liberal Democrats had some power of policy direction in the coalition (AV referendum)
No historical parallel in US history, with divisions in Congress requiring a different approach to compromise.
Representation
Two main parties in devolved assemblies struggle to dominate.
No state government in the US deviates from the norm of two-party control.
When independent’s founder moves on, so does the party in the US.
Means US third parties struggle to have impact on national policies and legislation.
One of the main parties may adopt a policy from third parties which finds support amongst voters (Ross Perot’s elimination of the federal budget deficit). This can lessen distinctive appeal of third parties, as seen in the Democrat ‘The Green Party’s New Deal’.
Securing Votes
Little incentive for candidates in the US to run outside of the two-party system with ‘big tent’ parties. Biggest impact as ‘spoilers’.
Ralph Nader won enough votes as Green candidate to spoil the chances of left-leaning Al Gore (D) of winning, so Bush took the presidency.
Doncaster North, Ed Miliband (strong Remain, majority of 2,000 votes), the Brexit Party (8,000 votes) took pro-Brexit votes off of the Conservatives in 2019.
Significance of Independent Candidates
Third parties in the US are so prominently evolved around their founder, although under the third-party label, they in reality run as independents.
Sanders and King enjoying close relations to the Demcrats, faced little opposition from Democrats in their Senate races.
Very few independents are elected in the UK, only really win in the instance other parties do not contest
Martin Bell in 1997 in safe Conservative seat of Tatton.
Comparison of Party Policies in the UK and the USA
Similarities
Conservatives and Republicans agree on
Lower taxes
for both businesses and individuals agreeing that cutting taxes promotes innovation and productivity ‘trickle down economics’.
Strong nation state
Conservatives were Eurosceptic and Trump sought to push for better trade deals, especially with China. Wariness of international bodies- UN and WHO had their funding cut under Trump
Importance of Individual Freedom
in terms of welfare intervention, but compromise when protecting the nation states such as Patriot Act 2001 (Bush) and the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 (Johnson)
Abandoning Fiscal Prudence in Crisis
both parties cut government spending in times of crisi, such as the pandemic passing large emergency measures to keep businesses afloat and workers’ income.
Labour and Democrats agree on
Reducing the Economic Gap
both parties desire to reduce the gap between rich and poor, making the wealthy pay their share in taxes.
Better Public Services for All
focused on the poorest in society, Blair sought ‘Education, education, education’ and increased NHS spending, with Obama introducing the Affordable Care Act 2010.
International Cooperation
on foreign policy they are re more enthusiastic about global bodies and internationalism.
Multiculturalism
Positive on benefits of a diverse society, priding themselves on tolerance and inclusivity, drawing substantial support from minority ethnic groups in the electorate.
Differences
Republicans more socially conservative than Conservatives.
Republicans are more militant libertarians and anti-government.
Even within the Democrats, many oppose ‘socialist’ healthcare plans, whereas protection of the NHS is a prerequisite for both.
UK parties are more ideological, influenced by key poltiical thinkers (Labour and Clause IV)
Relationship of Bush and Blair on foreign policy in the Middle East, but Obama refused 5 requests from Downing Street to hold a bilateral meeting with Gordon Brown.
Internal Unity Within the Main Parties in Both the UK and the US
As ‘big tent’ parties they cover a broad range of views and opinions
Greater Party Unity in the US, and Growing Party Division in the UK
Same-sex marriage was introduced by David Cameron, but relied on the vote of opposition MPs as his own MPs failed to back it.
Key votes in Congress such as Obamacare (0 Democrat rebels in Senate), Trump’s impeachment (0 in Senate) and Supreme Court nominations, party loyalty holds sway.
In recent years. Labour and Conservative leaders have been directl subjected to leadership challenges (Corbyn in 2016 lost a vote of no confidence
Decreasing Party Unity in the US, and Party Division Within the UK is Longstanding
2019 Democrat primaries revealed deep division over policy on levels of progressiveness (Sanders and Warren advocating writing off all student loan debt and Medicare for All)
Despite 2016 victory, the inability of Republicans in Congress to agree on an alternative to Trumpcare.
Primaries encourage intro-party competition and a focus on personalities.
Intra-party feuding is less likely in the UK.
Historically, the UK has more deep division such as the Labour Party over unilateral nuclear disarmament
Europe within Conservtaives is the obvious fault line
Comparing Campaign Finance
Structural
Campaign finance regulation is much tougher in the UK, wit greater use of state funding, (free party election broadcasts)
The courts in the US have played a significant role in weakening congress’ attempt to regulate campaign finance
UK Courts more likely to invest auger irregularities in election spending.
Rational
Greater opportunities for poltiical donations in the US, means more pressure and interest groups spend heavily on electoral campaigning.
Charity law in the UK makes this harder.
In both countries, fundraising is very important, but does not result in victory
The most money is spent on swing states or marginal constituencies.
Cultural
Greater culture of individual donors in the US, in the UK it is more subtle and associated traditionally with trade unions or businesses.
The First Amendment and attraction to personal freedom in the USA extends to political donations.
In both countries, there is suspicion of the link between poltical donations and buying favours whether in terms of policy outcomes, exacerbated in the UK throguh peerages.