Are elections truly fair?
I can identify different voting systems and analyse the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Are elections truly fair?
I can identify different voting systems and analyse the strengths and weaknesses of each.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- There are two main voting systems: first-past-the-post and proportional representation.
- Advantages of first-past-the-post are: it produces a clear winner. However, winners might have little public support.
- Advantages of proportional representation include fairer representation. However, it can lead to coalition governments.
Keywords
Election - the voting process to select a person for a public position
General election - when the citizens of a country (the electorate) vote to elect a new government; a general election in the UK happens at least every five years
Constituency - the specific geographical area that is represented by each Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons
First-past-the-post - the voting system used in the UK to elect members of some local councils and Members of Parliament, whereby the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins
Proportional representation - an electoral system where political parties get a number of seats in Parliament that matches the percentage of votes they receive in an election
Common misconception
Individual votes do not count so could be pointless taking part.
Marginal seats are an example of why every vote matters.
To help you plan your year 10 citizenship lesson on: Are elections truly fair?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 citizenship lesson on: Are elections truly fair?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 citizenship lessons from the What are the strengths and weaknesses of the UK democratic system? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
taking a vote or having a referendum on each issue
electing a Member of Parliament to act on your behalf
Exit quiz
5 Questions
the candidate with most votes wins
the share of seats a party wins matches the share of votes it receives
the voting process to select a person for a public position
when the citizens of a country vote to elect a new government
the geographical area that is represented by each Member of Parliament