What method is used to elect Members of the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly?

Okay, let's break down why proportional representation is used for electing members to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly. The key idea behind proportional representation is fairness and ensuring that the number of seats a party gets in the parliament or assembly closely reflects the proportion of votes they received from the public. Unlike the "first past the post" system used in UK general elections, where the candidate with the most votes in a specific area wins, proportional representation aims for a more balanced outcome. In Scotland and Wales, they use a specific type of proportional representation called the "additional member system." This means that some members are elected directly to represent local areas, just like in general elections. However, additional members are then chosen from party lists to make the overall result more proportional. This helps smaller parties gain representation and ensures that the overall makeup of the parliament or assembly reflects the voters' preferences more accurately. So, because the goal is to make the number of seats proportional to the votes, proportional representation is the method used. The other options, like "instant runoff" and "first past the post," don't achieve this proportional outcome.