The only way to vote

[Ialtog]

I was working on the elections.

Cessna, I've been following these elections closely (I am kind of an election junkie) and I have a question for you that others may have as well.

I am really struggling with understanding who people are voting for and how the various constituencies, regions, et cetra all work. Correct me if I am wrong here:

There are 73 "constituencies" in Scotland. A person living in, say the constituency of Aberdeen Central, would vote vote for the one person on a slate they would like to represent them in the Scottish Parliment. This is a "first past the post" system, with the candidate with the most votes winning outright.

Now, this person in Aberdeen Central is also part of a larger "region", of which there are eight in Scotland. Aberdeen Central is part of the North East Scotland region. So, the voter would also mark their preferences for the various parties running. They don't vote for an individual here, right? In the end, each constituency sees the top vote getter going to the Scottish Parliment, and each region also has a "regional representative" go to the same Parliment?

But if this was a national election, the voter would be ticking off a check next to a candidate who would represent a different constituency altogether, as the Westminster elections have different constituencies than the "local" elections?

Sorry, but for some reason I cannot wrap my mind around this and I sure would appreciate any clarrification on how it works there.

[cessna152towser]

There are 73 "constituencies" in Scotland. A person living in, say the constituency of Aberdeen Central, would vote vote for the one person on a slate they would like to represent them in the Scottish Parliment. This is a "first past the post" system, with the candidate with the most votes winning outright.

Now, this person in Aberdeen Central is also part of a larger "region", of which there are eight in Scotland. Aberdeen Central is part of the North East Scotland region. So, the voter would also mark their preferences for the various parties running. They don't vote for an individual here, right? In the end, each constituency sees the top vote getter going to the Scottish Parliment, and each region also has a "regional representative" go to the same Parliment?

But if this was a national election, the voter would be ticking off a check next to a candidate who would represent a different constituency altogether, as the Westminster elections have different constituencies than the "local" elections?

Almost correct. The only proviso I would add is that the winning party under the party list system isn't necessarily the party which gets the most votes. The party list system is intended to give preference to parties whose individual candidates were runners up to ensure that strongly represented minorities also obtain representation as well as the first past the post constituency winners. There is a complex formula for weighting the party list votes which penalises parties who have already won constituency seats.

[LordKiltClad]

Graham,
Love the pic. Guess my next vote (next week for city council I think) I'll go kilted. Why not?

Cessna & Ialtog,
While very fascinating as I enjoy reading information like this, this conversation could get locked VERY fast with anymore talk about elections.

Did that sound like a mod comment? Is "that's something my mod would say" the same as "that's something my mother/father would say"?

[Hamish]

I too saw this photo, Gray. It was featured on 'The Scotsman' (on-line version) yesterday. I cannot help thinking that his sporran looks uncomfortably low, however!

Like this fellow, I was kilted when voting at our election on Thursday but, so what? I always am at every walking minute of every day.

[Graham]

I too saw this photo, Gray. It was featured on 'The Scotsman' (on-line version) yesterday. I cannot help thinking that his sporran looks uncomfortably low, however!

Like this fellow, I was kilted when voting at our election on Thursday but, so what? I always am at every walking minute of every day.

Correct Hamish, actually, I should have (for copy write reasons) included a link to the Scotsman, but I thought it might encourage political discussion.

I understand what Cessna says about when you are working at a polling place, but as individual voters I think it's great to go kilted.

Yes, like you Hamish, if I was not kilted - I'd be naked, now that would be inappropriate at a polling booth

[ccga3359]

If it were the Saltire kilt perhaps that might be an indicater of which way he would be voting. Then again not. I sure that there are proud Scots on both sides that typically wear a kilt. My vote is that I can't tell his politics.

[David Dalglish]

I also went kilted to vote.

[Doc]

Isn't there a bumper sticker that says "I wear a kilt and I vote"?

[McClef]

I wore a kilt to vote in the Welsh Assembly elections.

I was jokingly informed that I couldn't vote for the Scottish Parliament in Wales!

I said I knew that and that no inference should be made as to whom I was voting for in the Welsh Assembly elections either.

Fortunately we only had the 2 ballot papers (one constituency first past the post and one regional party proportional representation vote) and everything was very clearly explained. So none of the problems that were experienced in the Scottish exercise.

[Panache]

I went to the polls last November in a kilt. It was the most fun I've had voting:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=22056

Cheers

Jamie