- Additional Member System (AMS) is a hybrid electoral system that combines elements of First Past the Post (FPTP) and Proportional Representation An electoral system where parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes they get. Seats = % of Votes.
- Used in: Scottish Parliament, Welsh Senedd, and London Assembly elections.
- Voters have two votes: one for a constituency candidate (FPTP) and one for a party list (PR).
- Representatives are elected using FPTP. The additional members are elected from party lists to make the overall result more proportional.
- The system aims to balance FPTP with the fairness of proportional representation.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| More proportional than FPTP | Can be more complex for voters to understand |
| Maintains local representation through constituencies | Parties have significant control over the party lists |
| Reduces the number of "wasted" votes | Can result in coalition or minority governments |
| Allows for representation of smaller parties | Some representatives are not directly elected by voters |
- AMS is designed to combine fair representation alongside a strong link between representatives and their local areas.