Ministry of Education

Secondary Engagement Programme

September 2020
Social Studies Grade 8

WEEK SIX

LESSON TWO (2)

Topic: A Glimpse of Our History

Sub-Topic: Electoral Systems in Guyana (cont’d)

Objectives: Students will:

 Define the term electoral system

 Differentiate between the Proportional Representation and the First Past the Post electoral
System.

Concept: Governments are formed in different ways around the world. Guyana is a democratic
nation and as such, we use an election to select our governing body. The electoral systems
which are used are the Proportional Representation and the First Past the Post electoral system.

Content:

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 Ministry of Education
Secondary Engagement Programme
September 2020
Social Studies Grade 8

The First Past the Post system

In a first-past-the-post (FPTP or FPP; sometimes formally called single-member plurality

voting or SMP) electoral system, voters cast their vote for a candidate of their choice, and the
candidate who receives the most votes wins.

FPTP is a plurality voting method, and is primarily used in systems that use single-member
electoral divisions.

FPTP is used as the primary form of allocating seats for legislative elections in about a third of
the world's countries, mostly in the English-speaking world (the United States, the United
Kingdom, Canada, India, Pakistan, and other countries in the Commonwealth of Nations).

Many countries use FPTP alongside proportional representation, for example, for special
constituencies (e.g. for minorities or outlying areas) and/or as part of a mixed-member
proportional representation system. It is also used to elect heads of state
in Taiwan, Iceland, Mexico, and South Korea.

FPTP can be used for single- and multiple-member electoral divisions.

In a single-member election, the candidate with the highest number (but not necessarily a
majority) of votes is elected.

In a multiple-member election (or multiple-selection ballot), each voter casts (up to) the same
number of votes as there are positions to be filled, and those elected are the highest-placed
candidates corresponding to that number of positions.

For example, if there are three vacancies, then voters cast up to three votes and the three
candidates with the greatest number of votes are elected.

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 Ministry of Education
Secondary Engagement Programme
September 2020
Social Studies Grade 8

When Guyana gained self-governing status in 1961, The Premier and a cabinet of ministers had
authority over internal matters and the British Government retained portfolios over foreign
affairs, defence, etc.

The governor was the colonial representative who held veto power over the elected legislature.
There was a bi-cameral House of Assembly with Legislative Council and a Senate. The Council
consisted of thirty-five members elected under the system of First Past the Post.

Under this system the party with the largest number of votes in a constituency won the seat. The
Senate consisted of a majority of members from the government, and representatives from the
opposition party as well as two nominated members chosen by the governor after consultation
with the various groups.

Today Guyana uses a mixture of both systems to conduct our Local and General elections.

The voting process

Click on the link below or enter the link in your search bar to view the videos below for an
insight into the voting process.

https://www.gecom.org.gy/home/lge2018

https://www.facebook.com/LGE2018/videos/921993971536224/

Activity

1. What is the difference between the electoral systems?

2. What is the name of the agency responsible for conducting Guyana’s election?
3. Describe the various steps of the election process.

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 Ministry of Education
Secondary Engagement Programme
September 2020
Social Studies Grade 8

Home Work

 Find out information on how Guyana mixes the electoral systems

 Read pages 77 to 81 of the New Horizons and complete all the activities.

Reference

9. New Horizons in Social Studies bk. 2 pages 77 to 81

10. Ministry of education Teacher’s guide grade 8 page 35 to 37.
11. Ministry of Education Curriculum Guide grade 8 page 4.

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