UK election laws 'under strain'
The UK's electoral system is stuck in the 19th Century, under "severe
strain" and needs reform, a report says.
The Electoral Commission, set up to oversee the electoral process, wants
simpler rules on running elections.
It calls for clear leadership with new election management boards and
individual voter registration.
It says a new board should oversee Scottish elections, after more than
140,000 ballot papers were rejected in 2007, amid widespread voter
confusion.
'Fragmented arrangements'
An independent study into those elections found mistakes at all levels
and suggested voters were treated as an "afterthought"
The commission said it was unlikely that the "current fragmented
arrangements for electoral administration" would be used if the system
was being designed from scratch.
We are still trying to run 21st Century elections with 19th
Century structures, and the system is under severe strain
Sam Younger
Electoral Commission
Commission chairman Sam Younger said "a consistently high standard of
service for all electors" was needed.
Mr Younger said: "The planning and running of elections need to be more
robust and co-ordinated. We are still trying to run 21st Century
elections with 19th Century structures, and the system is under severe
strain."
The report proposes that funding for electoral administration should be
improved, changes to electoral law finalised at least six months before
any election and returning officers' roles strengthened.
Scottish board
It also suggests bringing returning officers and registration officers
together into regional electoral management boards to co-ordinate local
elections.
And it says there should be an electoral management board for Scotland -
made up of returning officers and electoral registration officers.
Chief executive Peter Wardle also called for changes to the voter
registration system "so that each of us goes on the register, takes
individual responsibility for that, rather than relying on the head of a
household, and gives identifiers - signatures, dates of birth, National
Insurance numbers so that our identity can be checked".
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "The government is committed to
the highest standards in the administration of elections and we will
carefully consider these proposals.
"While the Electoral Commission's report into the May 2008 Greater
London Authority and local elections found that these had generally been
run smoothly, we are not complacent and we will continue to work with
administrators and the commission to ensure that elections are run
efficiently and effectively"
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.
Published: 2008/08/27 10:53:20 GMT
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Wednesday 27 August 2008
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