How can a party lose support but gain seats? The upside-down world of Westminster’s voting systemWhat would you expect to happen if a party gained support in a fresh election? Most people would expect them to gain MPs. It seems obvious that a change in popular support should lead to...Posted 14 Sep 2018
It’s not just the boundaries that need reviewing – it’s First Past the PostThe four national Boundary Commissions have now announced their results. If parliament accepts them, these will be the constituencies that the next general election in 2022 will be fought on. The election specialists Rallings &...Posted 11 Sep 2018
Why it’s time to shine a light on ‘dark ads’ onlineFollowing a request by the Culture Media and Sport committee, Facebook has revealed the EU referendum adverts paid for by Vote Leave and created by Aggregate IQ. In the modern world of campaigning, political parties and campaigns can...Posted 30 Jul 2018
What were these ‘so-called’ trials of voter ID supposed to prove?One of the great mysteries of the voter ID trials in May’s English local elections was what exactly the trials were meant to be testing. Out of 44.4 million votes cast in 2017, there were...Posted 19 Jul 2018
Electoral reform for Love Island?What’s not to like about Love Island? A group of good-looking singletons enter a villa in the hopes of finding love, and we the public, get to vote on what goes on. Much like the...Posted 29 Jun 2018
Why Voter ID is a solution seeking a problemThe government will be trialling making ID mandatory at polling stations this May. Voters in Bromley, Woking and Gosport will have to show officials their papers before being permitted to exercise their right to vote....Posted 19 Mar 2018
Our top 5 most read blogs of 2017This time of year, we take a look back on our most popular articles of the year. A lot has happened: snap elections, threats to impose first-past-the-post and the ever-reliable annual House of Lords scandal....Posted 20 Dec 2017
2017 General Election ResultsWhile Labour achieved a nearly proportional result, getting just over 40 percent of the seats on 40 percent of the vote, the Conservatives took a skewed seat-share, with just under 49 percent of the seats...Posted 29 Aug 2017
The Return of the GerrymanderWith all the media attention focusing on the upcoming American Presidential Election, it’s easy to forget that it isn’t the only election happening on that day. Voters up and down the country will be voting...Posted 30 Oct 2016
Electoral Reform in Parliament againTwo of our issues are back in the House of Commons this week as Caroline Lucas, the Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion, will be presenting her ‘Electoral Reform (Proportional Representation and Reduction of Voting...Posted 18 Aug 2016