13. Reading. Elections in Great Britain

 

 

The House of Commons lasts up to \(5\) years (since \(1911\)). During the \(XIX\) century reforms almost all adult men were granted the right to vote. However, women got their voting right much later, in the first third of the \(XX\) century.
There are \(650\) constituencies in the country, each of them gives one MP to the parliament. Any legally adult citizen (over \(18\)) can vote.

Traditionally, elections are held on Tuesdays. Voters can cast a ballot from early morning until late at night. A person can vote using post, it is called mail vote. Voting is not obligatory, but every citizen shold be registered as a voter.

 

Labour Party and Conservative party are the most popular and influential political parties in the country. There is a local office of these parties in every constituency that chooses the candidate and supports him or her through the campaign.

 

Again, any legal adult and a citizen can become a candidate. However, certain groups of people are banned from it. Those are police and military officers, judges and people who went bankrupt.

 

  

1. There are \(600\) constituencies in the UK.

 

   

 

2. Voting is obligatory.

 

   

 

3. Liberal Democrats is the most popular and influential political party in the country.