Counting and waiting

Very frustrating. At time of writing this morning we're still waiting for a good number of the election results to come through, and don't have a clear picture of which party is coming out largest.

One would have thought with the electronic counting this would be easier and faster. 100,000 ballot papers are said to have been spoiled yesterday, most likely because of the complexity of the system. I have to say that even I, with degree in politics, had to be reminded that the council vote needed a numerical response rather than an X. Three votes, three separate systems governing them. Someone somewhere needs a kicking, as there were plenty warnings about this.

PR government is infinitely better than FPTP, but even when votes are counted properly, it takes days or even weeks for the picture of government to emerge. As it looks just now, we're headed for Labour and the SNP each getting somewhere in the the 40s in terms of seats, with the Lib Dems and Tories in the teens. With 65 being the magic number for a majority, the Lib Dems may not be able to form a majority with either party. Would be fascinating to see how such a scenario plays out.

UPDATE: My good friend Alasdair Allan has won the Western Isles. The man is salt of the earth, and the people there are very lucky to have him. Also big shoutout to Jamie Hepburn and Aileen Campbell who are both new MSPs from their respective lists. Bob Doris, who used to be my school teacher (though he doesn't appreciate me broadcasting that!) got in on the Glasgow list, with of course, Scotland's first ever ethnic minority MSP Bashir Ahmad. Lastly for just now, congratulations to Hugh O'Donnell who I know well on the Central Scotland list.

Comments

[Mustafa Arif]

Do they not put instructions on the ballot paper?

We managed to cope alright with five different voting systems (Mayor, Assembly constituency, Assembly list, European Parliament and Council) in the 2004 London elections.

And PR is obviously not "infinitely" better since you mentioned a clear downside. It delivers a more proportional result - which is clearly a good thing in choosing an executive but a downside can (and looks like it will) be the fact that key decisions are made not by the electorate but in smoke-filled backrooms by politicians negotiating a coalition. PR also compromises the constituency link of members of the legislature. The hybrid approach of constituency and list elections is a reasonable compromise.

Personally, I would suggest using STV (or maybe AV) for constituencies and then having a separate, directly elected executive. No lists. In this scenario my guess is you'd have Alex Salmond as First Minister but with a Labour majority in the Parliament. Some might see a problem with that but if that's what your electorate want I don't see why it should be denied. We have a Labour Mayor in London with a Tory Assembly - it works ok. Americans have long been used to different parties controlling the White House and the Congress and keeping a check on each other.

[George Carty]

Wouldn't PR-Squared be a good replacement for FPTP? It preserves all the advantages of FPTP (results with decisive majorities, simple for the voter, easy to remove an unpopular local MP), while eliminating FPTP's main disadvantage (voters in non-marginal constituencies have no say as to who wins nationally).

[joe90]

14:07
A great day for Scotland and democracy I reckon - the old Stalinist-style era of old Labour-New Labour Scottish Soviets is over!

If only we had PR for elections to the rotten boroughs of the British Parliament.

My night last night was somewhat spoiled early doors, by the announcement of the first result, which was from my own constituency - I turned on my tv about 1 PM and Jack McConnell was already re-elected!

As usual, the turnout was appalling - it depresses me to see so many people de-politicised. Voter apathy always favours the status quo -
ie The Conservative-New Labour Party
- and a reflection of the fact there is no real democratic politics at the level of the British Parliament. At least yesterday's elections actually counted for something!

This is just a personal observation -
- but I do think voting patterns are a generational thing -the older generation, used to just turning up and putting their mark against a red for Labour, are die-ing out - the SNP do seem to attract younger-ish voters ie below 50 years of age(!).

I am a bit sorry the SSP and Solidarity haven't managed to get any MSPs elected - the Greens have managed one so far (and a council seat in Glasgow!) which is good news for democracy all round.

Thanks for the election posts Osama - they're much appreciated!

All the best!

[Mustafa Arif]

I'm sorry, no! PR-Squared looks like the sort of thing dreamt up by well-meaning academics. The problem is that you or I as an individual voter don't know what the effect of our vote is going to be locally - and it might even be ignored. We might (locally) have a majority vote for Party A, but get a candidate for Party B because Party A was too popular nationally. I'm sorry, that's just not acceptable. A hybrid constituency / list system at least gives more understandable results.

What is wrong with having a directly elected executive?

[joe90]

Stunning epoch-making victory Osama - well done mate!

I have left a few comments over at lenin's blog which people might find interesting
http://leninology.blogspot.com/2007/05/election-results.html>Election results
Fri 04 May 2007
lenin

all the best!