Tag: electoral reform

Electoral reform consultation opens

Views sought to strengthen democracy

Expanding candidacy rights to 16 and 17 year olds is one of a number of electoral reforms being considered in a consultation launched today.

Following the lowering of the voting age to 16 in devolved Scottish elections, the consultation asks about changing the age of candidacy from the current minimum of 18 to allow young people to stand for election.

Views are also being sought on how best to encourage all those eligible to register to vote, especially among under-represented groups and on measures to protect the privacy of candidates addresses.

Other proposals in the consultation include extending candidacy rights to foreign nationals who already have the right to vote, and measures to improve the accessibility of voting, including for voters with sight loss.

Minister for Parliamentary Business George Adam said: “A robust electoral system is fundamental to the success of Scotland being an inclusive and vibrant democracy that makes everyone feel included and empowered.

“It is important as many people in our society as possible feel they have an effective and independent means to hold government to account and also feel encouraged take an active interest in politics and civic life.

“The measures set out in this consultation are wide-ranging and include key questions on how best to improve the accessibility of elections and to promote electoral registration. We will consider all responses very carefully before deciding on our next steps.”

Take part in the consultation

Read the Scottish Government’s consultation paper on electoral reform

Democracy Isn’t Working

A report by the Centre for the Future of Democracy, a new research unit at the University of Cambridge, showed that 60.3 per cent of people in Britain said they were dissatisfied with the way democracy was working.

The report suggested that Britain’s outdated First Past the Post voting system and majoritarian style of democracy was responsible for increasing polarisation forcing citizens into opposing tribes and making voters less likely to accept the mandate of rival political parties.

The research comes following a General Election that saw the Conservatives gain a majority of seats with a minority of the vote and saw the views of 14.5 million voters (45%) go unrepresented according to ERS analysis.

The Society also called for the Government’s proposed Democracy Commission to be citizen-led and to ‘genuinely get to grips with Britain’s democratic crisis’.

Willie Sullivan, Senior Director (Campaigns), Electoral Reform Society said: “This report showing falling support for democracy is truly worrying, yet it should come as no surprise. For too long politicians of all parties have been ignoring the cracks in our political system and failing to take the actions needed to shore up the crumbling foundations of our democratic structures.

“From continuing to pack the Lords with party cronies and ex-MPs to failing to take action to address our outdated campaign rules for too long politicians have failed to step up and begin to repair the damage done to our broken politics.

“Only serious structural reform can begin to repair this lack of faith in our democracy, a proportional voting system for the Commons and a fairly elected second chamber representing all nations and regions of the UK will give people a voice.  But we also need to do more and build into the system space for ordinary citizens to take part. The Citizens Assembly of Scotland and the similar process that took place in Ireland recently can show us how.

“Citizens are right, our institutions are broken. Now it’s up to those in power to take the urgent action needed to fix them.”

DemocracyReport2020