Additional Members System (AMS)
AMS is a form of proportional representation which aims to give political parties a share of
MSPs in proportion to their share of the vote. It’s a combined electoral system consisting of
first-past-the-post and an element of proportional representation. Find out more about the
system here.
Agent
A person who leads a candidate’s campaign and represents them when dealing with the
electoral authorities.
Ballot
Another term for vote.
Ballot box
This is a sealed box with an opening at the top where voters put their ballot papers.
Ballot paper
A piece of paper containing a list of all candidates standing in a constituency. In Scottish
Parliament elections voters get 2 votes. They are asked to place an X next to their choice for
their constituency MSP (lilac paper) and an X next to their choice for their regional MSP
(orange paper).
Candidate
A person who stands for election, representing a political party in an area or as an
independent.
Canvassing
When supporters of a political party ask other voters who they plan to vote for and try to
persuade them to vote for their party’s candidate.
Coalition
When two or more parties form a government. This can happen when no political party wins
an overall majority.
Confidence and supply
Often when a smaller party supports a larger party in important votes - specifically
confidence votes and finance/supply bills.
Constituency
A geographical area which elects MSPs. There are 73 single-member constituencies.
