First Past the Post Quiz

Match the following countries with their electoral systems.

• Instant-runoff Voting

• India

• Single Transferable Vote

• Australia

• First Past the Post

• Ireland

• Mixed Member Proportional

• New Zealand

What type of parties benefit from First Past the Post voting?

• Those with voters evenly spread out around the country

• Those with the most media coverage

• Those with voters condensed in a small area

• Those with the most financial resources

What is the lowest share of the vote a party has received and gone on to form a majority government on their own?

• 31%

• 35%

• 42%

• 46%

What is the lowest share of the vote ever for a winning candidate?

• 42.5%

• 18.5%

• 24.5%

• 22.5%

In which years did the party that lost the election get to form the government anyway?

• 2001 & 2015

• 1987 & 1997

• 1945 & 1983

• 1951 & 1974

What is the main feature of the First Past the Post system?

• Ranked choice voting

• Winner takes all

• Single transferable vote

• Proportional representation

How many constituencies hold separate contests during a General Election in Westminster?

• 650

• 850

• 750

• 500

What is a 'safe seat' in the context of First Past the Post?

• A seat that is guaranteed to change hands

• A seat with a low chance of changing hands

• A seat with multiple candidates

• A seat with no candidates

What is a 'swing seat'?

• A seat that could change hands

• A seat with a low chance of changing hands

• A seat that is guaranteed to change hands

• A seat with no candidates

What tends to happen to small parties without a geographical base in First Past the Post?

• They dominate the elections

• They form coalitions easily

• They find it hard to win seats

• They win many seats