The traditional Thursday election day could be replaced by weekend voting under proposals put forward by the Government today.Justice Minister Michael Wills, in a written statement, announced moves for widespread consultation covering parliamentary and European polls and council contests in England and Wales.They include "practical considerations and the potential cost of holding elections at the weekend".Introducing the Election Day consultation paper, he pledged that "in the event that elections were moved to the weekend, this would need to be implemented in a way which did not interfere with religious observance".Mr Wills also announced moves to call a "Citizens' Summit" at which a cross-section of the public would be invited to consider barriers to voting and options available to improve participation levels.He said: "Participants at this summit will be asked to deliberate on the issues, including those raised in the consultation and to make a recommendation on whether elections should be held at the weekend."The Government would respond to the consultation after the summit.Mr Wills added: "I also intend that the summit should discuss more widely the factors that motivate people to exercise their right to vote."The sense of a civic duty to vote has eroded over the last 50 years. It is vital for the health of our democracy that we better understand the reasons for this and what we can do to reverse the trend of falling turnout."The minister stressed: "The Government takes the integrity of the electoral process seriously. Any fraud is unacceptable and we are examining how, consistent with the need to ensure that citizens can access their right to vote, the security of both the registration system and the postal vote process could be strengthened."In that context, we plan to consult on issues relating to the security of the ballot."Shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert commented: "The Labour Government's obsession with electoral modernisation has resulted in a collapse in confidence in the integrity of the ballot box."There is no evidence that weekend voting makes any difference to turnout. Rather than fiddling with the day of the election, ministers need to tackle electoral fraud as their first priority.":: Some continental countries, including France, have weekend voting but a test by Britain's Watford Borough Council in 2000 saw turnout drop to 27% from 36% the previous year. 24dash.com
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Government takes first step towards weekend elections
The traditional Thursday election day could be replaced by weekend voting under proposals put forward by the Government today.Justice Minister Michael Wills, in a written statement, announced moves for widespread consultation covering parliamentary and European polls and council contests in England and Wales.They include "practical considerations and the potential cost of holding elections at the weekend".Introducing the Election Day consultation paper, he pledged that "in the event that elections were moved to the weekend, this would need to be implemented in a way which did not interfere with religious observance".Mr Wills also announced moves to call a "Citizens' Summit" at which a cross-section of the public would be invited to consider barriers to voting and options available to improve participation levels.He said: "Participants at this summit will be asked to deliberate on the issues, including those raised in the consultation and to make a recommendation on whether elections should be held at the weekend."The Government would respond to the consultation after the summit.Mr Wills added: "I also intend that the summit should discuss more widely the factors that motivate people to exercise their right to vote."The sense of a civic duty to vote has eroded over the last 50 years. It is vital for the health of our democracy that we better understand the reasons for this and what we can do to reverse the trend of falling turnout."The minister stressed: "The Government takes the integrity of the electoral process seriously. Any fraud is unacceptable and we are examining how, consistent with the need to ensure that citizens can access their right to vote, the security of both the registration system and the postal vote process could be strengthened."In that context, we plan to consult on issues relating to the security of the ballot."Shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert commented: "The Labour Government's obsession with electoral modernisation has resulted in a collapse in confidence in the integrity of the ballot box."There is no evidence that weekend voting makes any difference to turnout. Rather than fiddling with the day of the election, ministers need to tackle electoral fraud as their first priority.":: Some continental countries, including France, have weekend voting but a test by Britain's Watford Borough Council in 2000 saw turnout drop to 27% from 36% the previous year. 24dash.com
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3 comments:
The electoral system in this country is being massively undermined by a certain community very keen on getting into elected office by any means necessary.
http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/Exmayor-to-go-on-trial.4208309.jp
A FAILED election candidate from Peterborough is facing a spell behind bars after he admitted trying to rig a city council ballot in his favour.
Mohammed Khaliq forged votes during the 2004 council elections in a vain attempt to cheat his way to a place at the town hall as a Conservative councillor.
Although he failed to win enough votes to secure election for the Central ward, his deception did not go unnoticed by Peterborough police.
The 50-year-old, of Foxdale, New England, was caught out in a £1 million investigation known as Operation Hooper, which was launched in June 2004 after concerns were raised about the way the election was conducted in the Central, Park and Ravensthorpe wards.
http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/Jail-warning-to-failed-candidate.4215653.jp
Weekend voting gets my vote must get some more postal votes in the bag for 2010,we can then concentrate on the rest at weekend Good Idea Gordy
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