UK election system 'stuck in the 19th century' » Central government » 24dash.com

The Government should simplify the rules on how elections are run to prevent "micro-managing" from the centre, a watchdog said today.

The Electoral Commission called for "clear leadership" on running elections, saying the UK was stuck with 19th century structures.

It reiterated that major changes to electoral law should not apply to polls held within six months of the alterations coming into force.

And the body urged ministers to consider setting up a system of individual voter registration.

Under the proposed system, voters could be required to take some form of photographic ID to the ballot box which would make it easier to detect fraud, the Times reported.

In a report entitled Electoral Administration in the UK, the Commission made a series of recommendations aimed at ensuring that future elections are better run.

These include:

• Ensuring that electoral law is finalised six months before any election.
• Simplifying electoral law and addressing the shortfall in funding for electoral administration that exists across the UK.
• Strengthening the role of returning officers to ensure their role in running elections is clearly distinct from the formation of election policy by government.
• Bringing returning officers and electoral registration officers together on new regional Electoral Management Boards to provide co-ordination, leadership and support for elections.
• Extending the role of the Commission to ensure that all those in charge of running elections report against consistent standards on their performance, and in encouraging people to register to vote.

The report also calls on the Government to consider the practical implications of setting up a UK-wide individual voter registration service, to replace the head-of-household system currently in operation.

In a key section of the 37-page document, the Commission outlines ways to simplify the legal framework governing elections.

It reads: "Both the UK and Scottish governments should ensure that changes to legislation that has an impact on the administration of elections are not applied to any election or electoral registration event held within six months of the new provision coming into force...

"The UK Government should take the opportunity of any future legislation to introduce individual electoral registration in Great Britain to produce a clear legal framework for the registration of electors, aiming for rationalisation as a minimum and simplification wherever possible.

"The UK Government should also undertake to rationalise and consolidate existing legislation relating to election management, ensuring that the legal framework focuses on clearly articulating electoral policy rather than micro-managing the delivery of elections."

Electoral Commission chairman Sam Younger said: "When we make decisions about how elections are run, we all need to think about the voter's interests above all else.

"Elections are the opportunity for citizens to take part in the democratic process and have their say about how we are governed and the services we receive.

"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.

"Ensuring that returning officers remain independent, and are reinforced with the leadership, support and direction of the chair of an Election Management Board, would build on the strengths of the current system.

"Our proposal is designed to allow local returning officers to continue to respond to local circumstances while ensuring that there is a consistently high standard of service for all electors across the UK."

Shadow justice minister Eleanor Laing said: "As usual Labour ministers are just burying their heads in the sand.

"They must not ignore the calls from across the political spectrum for urgent action to tackle electoral fraud."

She added: "We have been calling for individual electoral registration for years, but the Government will only talk about it. What we need is action.

"Individual electoral registration and accurate electoral registers are essential for a free and fair democratic process. Gimmicks like weekend voting are pointless if the very foundations of our democracy are being called into question."