Four ways of electing a president – ranked from worst to bestAmerica’s presidential election is the most famous presidential election in the world. The antiquated American system of choosing a president via an electoral college is also one of the worst methods for choosing a national...Posted 02 Nov 2020
Does PR mean coalitions? As New Zealand shows – it’s all down to the votersThe New Zealand Labour party are celebrating a landslide win, with 49 percent of the vote and enough MPs to form a single-party government on their own. This is the first time since New Zealand...Posted 20 Oct 2020
Early voting doesn’t have to mean long queuesTwo news stories stood out this week. As early voting opened in some US states, images of voters queuing all day to vote were greeted as signs of enthusiasm in America but confusion outside, while...Posted 15 Oct 2020
This simple change could help bring in the ‘missing millions’Rather than putting up bureaucratic barriers to engaging with politics, we should be ensuring everyone can use their vote.Posted 15 Oct 2020
New Zealand’s MMP electoral system: how does it work?New Zealand actor Jack Buchanan explains how MMP works in this music video created in partnership with the New Zealand Electoral Commission. Politics in New Zealand can look to outsiders to be much like politics...Posted 14 Oct 2020
Cross-party figures unite to call for transparency in ‘Wild West’ online campaigningPolitical figures across the spectrum have backed our calls for reform of Britain’s ‘wild west’ election campaign rules following the launch of our latest report.Posted 25 Sep 2020
Paying the price of First Past the Post – Towns Fund millions spent on marginal seatsThere is no better way of finding out which voters matter under Westminster’s warped electoral system than looking at where your taxes are funnelled to. The government’s £3.9bn Towns Fund was heralded as the way...Posted 25 Sep 2020
2019 General Election ResultsIn an election campaign characterised by uncertainty and volatility, it came as a surprise to many that the result would deliver such a decisive majority for one party. The Conservative Party made a net gain...Posted 19 Mar 2020
Ireland’s TV debates show the difference the electoral system makesOn Tuesday the 4th February, ITV’s political editor Robert Peston tweeted: The Irish leaders’ debate is really quite shocking. The three leaders have a detailed grasp of complex welfare and tax issues, they are polite...Posted 06 Feb 2020
Keir (Hardie) was a strong supporter of electoral reformLabour, from its beginnings 100 years ago has promoted democratic reform. Keir Hardie was a supporter of the Electoral Reform Society (then called the Proportional Representation Society). Hardie, a leading Scottish socialist, helped found the...Posted 24 Jan 2020