Articles by Electoral Reform Society

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Does no means ‘No Change’ or ‘More Powers’?

So we have a deal. We have a Yes/No question for a vote on Scottish Independence, and we can hardly contain our disappointment. This referendum has become a bit of a game with both sides intent...

Posted 15 Oct 2012

Politics is too important to be left to the politicians

As the first stage in a yearlong process to imagine what a ‘Good Scottish Democracy’ might look like we asked for volunteers to take part in a discussion about the future of Scotland Democracy.  ...

Posted 12 Oct 2012

Cameron’s broken promise on Women’s representation

Women’s representation in government has always appeared to matter to the Prime Minister. Back in his 2005 acceptance speech as leader David Cameron spoke of the need to end the “scandalous under-representation of women” in...

Posted 09 Sep 2012

Low turnout is a gift to candidates who have cash to spend

For some people, low turnout is an opportunity. In the last week we’ve gained enormous traction for our report that Police and Crime Commissioner elections are set for record low turnout – 18.5%, quite possibly the lowest...

Posted 26 Aug 2012

Police Station

Playing pass the parcel on turnout

On May 3 2012 Scotland went to the polls. We’d like to tell you precisely how many Scots actually went to vote, but the honest answer is we can’t. And that’s because no one knows...

Posted 26 Jul 2012

Scots are ready for real, meaningful constitutional debate

Since the launch of Yes Scotland and Better Together, the campaigns in support of independence and the Union respectively, the constitutional debate has entered a phase of relative quiet. While partisans and activists continue to fight the campaigns...

Posted 17 Jul 2012

Super majority in the Commons on Lords reform

There was progress on the rocky road to reform of the House of Lords this week when the bill to introduce some members to the second chamber received huge support from MPs. But party politics...

Posted 12 Jul 2012

House of Lords

Where have all the working class MPs gone?

The relationship between an individual’s social background and the way they vote has become much weaker in recent times with class no longer acting as a relatively accurate predictor of party preference. Voters are now...

Posted 03 Jul 2012