GOVERNMENT

THEME – POLITICAL PARTIES AND PRESSURE GROUPS AND ELECTION

TOPIC – ELECTORAL PROCESS (TYPES OF ELECTORAL SYSTEMS) 

CLASS – SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS (SS 2) 

LEARNING AREAS – Election Primaries and General Election | Direct and Indirect Electoral Systems | Advantages and Disadvantages of Direct and Indirect Electoral Systems  

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL

1. Textbooks

2. Pictures and charts

3. Electoral materials e.g. ballot box, ballot papers, etc.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. differentiate between general election and election primaries.

2. state the advantages and disadvantages of direct and indirect electoral systems.

3. outline the advantages and disadvantages of electoral consensus.

CONTENTS OF THE LESSON

FOCUS LESSONS

ELECTORAL SYSTEM OR ELECTORAL PROCESS 

An electoral system is also known as voting process. It is a set of rules and regulations that determine how elections and referendums are conducted. The whole system includes parties registration, voter registration, political campaign, accreditations, voting and declaration of results and dispute resolution.

TYPES OF ELECTORAL SYSTEM 

The following are types of electoral system,

1. Simple majority system

2. Absolute majority system

3. Second ballot system/run-off system

4. Alternative voting system

5. Proportional representation system

6. Ballot or voting system

7. Direct and Indirect electoral systems

ELECTION PRIMARIES AND GENERAL ELECTION 

Election Primary is also known as political party primary. A political party primary is a process of electing candidates who will represent the party in an election.

General Elections are elections conducted in electoral constituencies across the country to elect political parties and candidates into executive and legislative positions.

FORMS OF ELECTION PRIMARY 

There are three (3) forms of primary election, direct, indirect, consensus electoral system.

DIRECT ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Direct election is a system of voting where voters directly vote the candidate that will represent them in a general election. For example, the presidential or governorship primaries of political parties in Nigeria.

Direct and indirect electoral system are both forms of primary election in Nigeria.

ADVANTAGES OF DIRECT ELECTORAL SYSTEM 

1. It is democratic in nature.

2. It presents the interest of the people.

3. It allows people to choose candidates that will represent them in the general election.

4. It gives the people equal participation in politics.

5. It enables the candidates to test their popularity.

DISADVANTAGES OF DIRECT ELECTORAL SYSTEM 

1. It is too expensive.

2. It is time consuming.

3. It enables vote buying and selling.

4. It leads to election malpractices.

5. It breeds political violence, thuggery, intimidation of the opponents, etc.

INDIRECT ELECTORAL SYSTEMS 

Indirect election is a system of voting where voters indirectly vote people who will choose candidates that will represent them in the general election.

ADVANTAGES OF INDIRECT ELECTORAL SYSTEMS 

1. It allows political experts to decide candidates that will represent them in the general election.

2. It is less expensive.

3. It discourages rigging and election malpractices.

4. It reduces election violence, tension, thuggery, intimidation of the opponent, etc.

DISADVANTAGES OF INDIRECT ELECTORAL SYSTEMS 

1. It is undemocratic in nature.

2. It does not always represent the interest of the people.

3. It is leads to political instability.

4. It disconnects the majority from the process.

5. It is prone to bribery and election manipulation.

6. It is the source of political godfatherism.

7. It produces unpopular candidates.

ELECTORAL CONSENSUS

Consensus is an electoral system where only the few powerful members decide who present them in the general election.

ADVANTAGES OF CONSENSUS 

1. It is easy to operate.

2. It saves time.

3. It requires few people to decide for their party.

DISADVANTAGES OF CONSENSUS 

1. It gives room to the highest bidder.

2. It never represent the interest of the people.

LESSON PRESENTATION

TEACHER’S ACTIVITIES

The teacher,

1. leads a class review on the meaning and types of electoral system.

2. guides a class discussion on the meaning, advantages and disadvantages of direct, indirect and consensus.

3. summarizes the lesson on the board with appropriate lesson evaluation.

4. gives an assignment.

STUDENT’S ACTIVITIES

The students,

1. participate actively in the class review on the meaning and types of electoral system.

2. discuss the meaning, advantages and disadvantages of simple majority electoral system.

3. respond correctly to the lesson evaluation and write as instructed.

4. take note of class assignment.

LESSON EVALUATION

Teacher asks students to,

1. distinguish between general election and election primaries.

2. define the following – direct election, indirect election and electoral consensus.

3. outline two disadvantages and two disadvantages of the following – direct election, indirect election and electoral consensus.

4. write short note on the following – bye election, run off election, inconclusive election, election observers and monitors.