The Single Transferable Vote and the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

Abstract

This article assesses the operational challenges faced by the non-sectarian Alliance Party of Northern Ireland and seeks to determine whether use of the PR-STV voting system has a negative electoral impact on the party. It argues that whilst PR-STV is favourable to small parties as it allows inter-party lower order preference votes (or transfers) to be cast, it is of limited benefit to Alliance. This is due to most unionist and nationalist party first preference voters making only intra-bloc transfers, which disadvantages Alliance as it is the only significant non-sectarian party in Northern Ireland. Furthermore, for Alliance to encourage its first preference voters to transfer to an ethno-national party in the hope that this advice is reciprocated would go against its staunchly non-sectarian position. The party does not, therefore, benefit from PR-STV to the extent that many ethno-national parties do. Non-sectarian parties are, however, a product of ethnic party systems. In deeply divided societies dominated by ethno-national parties, PR-STV at least has the potential for these to moderate towards the centre ground in an attempt to acquire transfers from the widest possible audience. This article does not, therefore, recommend the implementation of an alternative electoral system in Northern Ireland.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank all who gave feedback on a version of this paper presented at the Political Studies Association annual conference in Sheffield in March 2015.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. These parties are, principally, the DUP and the UUP (unionist), and Sinn Féin and the SDLP (nationalist).

2. Eight of the MLAs designating as ‘Other’ are of the Alliance Party, two are of the Green Party and two are of the PBPA.

3. Naomi Long of the Alliance Party represented the Belfast East constituency in the Westminster Parliament from 2010 to 2015.

4. For future elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly, the district magnitude will be reduced to five, resulting in a higher quota to be reached in order to be elected (16.7% plus one in each constituency) and a total of 90 seats.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Henry Jarrett

Henry Jarrett is a Research and Teaching Assistant at the University of Exeter and a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire. His PhD applied ethno-symbolism to analyse ethno-national identity in post-Good Friday Agreement Northern Ireland. His research interests include conflict management, political parties, elections and identity politics in divided societies. E-mail: [email protected]