Elections

Background
Parliament can run for a maximum of five years, but before an election the Queen must dissolve it; it can be dissolved at anytime. If the government loses a vote of confidence in the commons an election can be triggered. Jim Callaghan lost by one vote in 1979, so Thatcher came to power.

The Coalition government has passed a law fixing the date of elections for every five years, the next general election is on 7th May 2015 (definitely a date for the diary!) Up until now the Prime Minister fixed the date of elections. Since 1935 if has been traditional to hold them on a Thursday.

Voting
In order to vote you have to be registered on the electoral register in your constituency. You're not automatically registered even if you pay council tax. About 45 million people are registered as follows:
England - 37,912,549
Scotland - 3,885,148
Wales - 2,262,769
Northern Ireland - 1,134,983
(Source BBC)

Citizens who live overseas can vote, but out of the estimated 5.5 million, less than 15,000 actually do.
You are not allowed to vote if you are under 18, a member of the House of Lords, a European Union Citizen, a Citizen of any country apart from the Irish Republic and common wealth countries or if you are in prison serving a sentence.

Representation of the People Act
1918 - Men 21+ and Woman 30+
1928 - Universal suffrage - All adults 21+
1969 - All Adults 18+

Even if you have the right to vote, you do not have to as it is compulsory, unless you like in Australia.

Tactical voting - Some people vote tactically, meaning they try to stop the party they dislike the most rather then support their first choice.


Winning
First past the Post is simply who ever wins the majority votes is elected. This means that national voting percentages are not regulated in seats and the election comes down to marginals because most of the votes in safe sets are wasted.

Proportional Representation is a more complicated electoral system, it is where the number of seats won by a party is proportionate to the number of votes received.

Each candidate must pay a deposit of £500 so that not any old hooligan wanting some air time applies. If they gain at least 5% of the votes cast they will get their money back.

Spoilt ballots are immediately disqualified. Votes will be rejected for no mark or if more then one candidate has been marked. There will be a recount if the result is too close.