Elections (Edexcel GCSE Citizenship Studies): Revision Note

Representative and direct democracy

• The word ‘democracy’ comes from the Greek - demos meaning people and -kratos meaning power

• It was encapsulated by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863

• Democracy is a concept of government that has evolved over time

Key elements of democracy

• If any of these elements are removed, democracy is undermined

  • Regular, fair and open public elections

  • A judiciary that is separate from government and that citizens can use to hold the government to account

  • Ability for citizens to stand for election

  • Ability to campaign for elected office on a fair and equal basis

  • A government that is elected and accountable

  • A media that is free to report on the actions of government

  • Secret voting, with the outcome reflecting the true views of voters

  • An electoral system that allows all voters to participate

Forms of democracy

• The following are terms associated with democracy and are used to describe different democratic systems

General elections

• General elections are nationwide votes where people choose Members of Parliament to decide which political party will form the government

  • The date of a general election is normally decided by the Prime Minister

    • It must be within five years of the last election, but can be earlier than this

    • It is possible for Parliament to pass a vote of no confidence in the government and thereby force a general election to be called

Who can and can't vote?

• A person must be registered to vote in a UK parliamentary constituency

  • Registration must be completed before the official deadline

• A person must be old enough on polling day

  • The voting age is currently 18 in general elections

• A person must be registered at a local address.

  • This determines where their vote is counted

• A person must not be legally excluded from voting

  • Some groups, such as prisoners serving a custodial sentence, cannot vote

  • Members of the House of Lords cannot vote because they already take part in Parliament

• In all parts of the UK, citizens are entitled to vote if

  • They are a British or Irish citizen

  • They have permission to remain in the UK, regardless of nationality

Extending the franchise

• The voting age for UK general elections is currently 18

• However, 16- and 17-year-olds can already vote in:

  • Scottish Parliament elections

  • Senedd (Welsh Parliament) elections

  • Local elections in Scotland and Wales

• This means the UK already has different voting ages depending on the type of election, which has increased debate about consistency

Government plans and future developments

• The current UK government has proposed lowering the voting age to 16 for UK general elections

  • This change would require new legislation passed by Parliament

• The next general election must take place by June 2029, and the government has indicated it aims to introduce the change before then

  • If implemented, the reform would add over one million new eligible voters, significantly expanding the electorate

Arguments for and against lowering the voting age

Public and political views

• Public opinion on votes at 16 is divided, with support generally higher among younger people than older voters

• Most left-leaning parties support lowering the voting age

• The Conservative Party has traditionally opposed the change

• Several countries, including Austria, already allow voting at 16 in national elections, providing an example of international success