Swingometer

, presented by Peter Snow. The swingometer is a graphics device that shows the effects of the swing from one party to another on British election results television programmes. It is used to estimate the number of seats that will be won by different parties, given a particular national swing (in percentage points) in the vote towards or away from a given party, and assuming that that percentage change in the vote will apply in each constituency. The device was invented by Peter Milne, and later refined by David Butler and Robert McKenzie.

, presented by Peter Snow. ]] The swingometer is a graphics device that shows the effects of the swing from one party to another on British election results television programmes. It is used to estimate the number of seats that will be won by different parties, given a particular national swing (in percentage points) in the vote towards or away from a given party, and assuming that that percentage change in the vote will apply in each constituency. The device was invented by Peter Milne, and later refined by David Butler and Robert McKenzie. ==3D swingometer== The 3D swingometer is used to illustrate the shift in election results from the previous election in a three-party system. It is similar to the "2D" swingometer used in two-party system elections, but uses the extra dimension to allow swings to occur among three parties. The sum of all the swings between parties must equal zero. In a three party system, the most complicated swings will involve a major swing either to or from one political party, with this swing being made up of two components from each of the other two parties. For instance there may be a 3-point swing towards the Purple party, consisting of a 2-point swing from the Orange party and a 1-point swing from the Brown party. Alternatively, there may be a 5-point swing from the Orange party, of which 3 points are towards the Brown party and 2 towards the Purple party. It is possible to split the swing space up into different regions indicating what the result would be if the swing indicated occurred linearly across the electorate. This gives rise to four regions: one each indicating overall control for each party, and a fourth region indicating no overall control. Where there are swings directly from one party to a second party with the third party's vote remaining unchanged, the 3D swingometer clearly indicates that the third party also benefits slightly from the reduction in vote of the first party. The three dimensions consist of the two used to create the swing space and the third for the pendulum to swing in. ==Parodies== During the 2010 UK General election race, the Slapometer website allowed voters to slap along to the live TV debates between party leaders Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg. Rather than showing a swing in votes it merely gave feedback about the number of slaps each politician was receiving each second. ==References== ==External links== Sultan of swingometers The oldest swingometer in town Labour and Conservatives in the 2005 UK general election Conservatives and LibDems in the 2005 UK general election Labour and LibDems in the 2005 UK general election Electoral College Swingometer in the 2008 US Presidential election Slapometer website asked people to Vote with the back of your hand BBC Archive - Swingometer

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