🧵 As some of you know, I've been playing with AI and have created tools to generate units of work for primary teachers. Today it created a post on elections and it got me thinking about how elections work. Do we get it right in Ireland? Let's see: mash.plus/unit-of-work-3rd-4th-class-title-elections-around-the-globe-a-fascinating-look-at-democracies-in-action

2/ First stop, Ireland! We use a system called PR-STV (Proportional representation, single transferable vote). Voters rank candidates. Your vote isn't wasted even if your top choice doesn't make it. [img:-CdkL4Lm]

3/ The United States is 'First Past The Post'. The winner is simply the one with the most votes. I think it's more complex than that but in its basic setup, that's how it works. [img:pSJKT1G_je]

4/ France has a 'Two-Round' System. In the first round, if nobody gets over half the votes, a second round is held a week later between the top two candidates. [img:XV81YcZY3]

5/ In Australia, voting isn't just a right, it's a duty. With 'compulsory voting', everyone aged 18 is legally required to vote or they face a fine. [img:Bjm_vlE6TX]

6/ Finally, Sweden, a country known for its proportional representation. This means seats are allocated in accordance with the number of votes each party receives. [img:9jHSiOIw3]

7/ I didn't realise that our voting system is very rare. Apparently, only Northern Ireland, Malta and some parts of Australia use it. I'm not sure why this is. [img:lSVyp9KO]

8/ Our system has advantages 1. It gives voters more flexibility as they can rank candidates according to preference. 2. This system ensures a high degree of proportional representation. 3. It tends to support a multi-party system, offering voters a wider choice.

9/ It also has disadvantages 1. It can be complex for voters to understand. 2. It can lead to internal party competition as multiple candidates from the same party can run for the same office. 3. The counting process is more complex and time-consuming than in other systems.

10/ I wonder if it's why we seem to have so many independent candidates and whether that's a good thing. If only we could vote for the Minister for Education, I'd be happy! twitter.com/simonmlewis/status/1752747072619417731 [img:eBeCk35]