Articles and Insights

Accessible commentary and insights from the Electoral Reform Society, on the issues shaping our democracy.

Featured Articles Latest Insights Polling & Public Opinion The Basics of First Past the Post Speaking up for Voters How our Country Works Global Perspectives

Featured Articles

The main stories selected by the Electoral Reform Society's team.

Money in Politics

Government to cap overseas donations and stop crypto donations

March 25, 2026

Today we welcomed the review by Philip Rycroft into countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics. The review rightly identifies a loss of trust in our democratic system and processes, and the importance of securing our democracy from those who seek to undermine it.

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The government must go further and bring in a cap on how much all donors can give to a party
Electoral Reform in Westminster

We were asked to address MPs on the Representation of the People Bill committee

March 19, 2026

This week MPs sitting on the Representation of the People Bill committee took evidence before the bill starts committee stage – the line-by-line examination of the legislation. Expert witnesses are called to give evidence at this stage to assist the committee with examining and improving the bill as it goes through parliament.

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House of Lords

The end of the Hereditary Peerage: A long campaign and an important victory

March 11, 2026

We saw a big victory last night as the bill to remove the last hereditary peers from the House of Lords finally passed. The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill means the remaining 84 hereditary peers will no longer have the automatic right to sit in the upper chamber for life, influencing the laws we all live under, purely due to who their parents were.

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Electoral Reform in Westminster

The Representation of the People Bill moves democracy forward – but more progress is needed

March 5, 2026

At the Electoral Reform Society, we believe democracy is never a finished project. Something so hard won requires constant attention, updating and improvement if it is to remain healthy.

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Latest Insights

The latest articles and insights from the Electoral Reform Society's team.

There is only a 15-point gap between the 1st and 5th placed parties
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Polling breakdown from March 2026: Latest polls see continued fragmentation

April 2, 2026

Since February 2025, we at the Electoral Reform Society have been collecting data on UK general election voting intention polls...

Wales has 16 new constituencies, each one electing six Members of the Senedd
ERS Cymru

There is a new way of voting at the Senedd election this May. How does it work?

April 2, 2026

Whatever happens in May, the next Senedd election is set to be historic. For instance, recent polling has pointed to...

9.1% of voting age Americans lack ready access to a document proving citizenship
Voter ID

While the UK is making voting more accessible, the US is cracking down

April 2, 2026

Currently, the UK is reassessing our restrictive voter ID laws. The Representation of the People Bill, if passed, would see...

The case for examining First Past the Posts role is growing
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Former Prime Minister John Major questions the ‘validity’ of First Past the Post

April 1, 2026

There has been a significant intervention in the debate around electoral reform recently, in the guise of former Prime Minister...

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Polling & Public Opinion

Analysis of the latest polling from the Electoral Reform Society's research department.

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The Basics of First Past the Post

Discover how we are let down by the way we elect MPs to Westminster.

The majority of people are represented by an MP they didnt want
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Why First Past the Post leaves most of us without voice in parliament

January 15, 2026

We live in a country where each constituency has a single MP. Yet for most people this means the MP...

Why reach out when you can win a majority on just 30 percent of the vote
Electoral Reform in Westminster

How First Past the Post turns politics into tribal warfare

December 10, 2025

Poll after poll and headline after headline in the U.K may leave you with the impression of a country more...

First Past the Post doesn’t care how narrow or extreme a party’s agendas is
Electoral Reform in Westminster

How First Past the Post lets people with fringe views slip through the net

November 13, 2025

Britain’s First Past the Post system was designed for a two-party age. One that pretty much everyone agrees we no...

The real fights aren’t across the floor of the Commons but inside the ruling party itself
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Why single-party governments under First Past the Post fail to get things done

October 29, 2025

For all the talk of “strong government,” the reality of single-party rule under First Past the Post (FPTP) often looks...

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Speaking up for Voters

Read the latest articles from the Electoral Reform Society's spokespeople

Darren Hughes

Chief Executive

Jessica Garland

Director of Policy and Research

Jessica Blair

ERS Cymru Director

Willie Sullivan

Senior Director, Campaigns and Scotland

How Our Country Works

Discover how power functions in the UK.

Wales has 16 new constituencies, each one electing six Members of the Senedd
ERS Cymru

There is a new way of voting at the Senedd election this May. How does it work?

April 2, 2026

Whatever happens in May, the next Senedd election is set to be historic. For instance, recent polling has pointed to...

We need to shift the balance closer to 50:50, to allow the ‘top-up’ to do its job.
ERS Scotland

Scotland’s Parliament still has too much First Past the Post

March 25, 2026

When the Scottish Parliament was created, it was built to be different to Westminster. A system designed to reflect how...

Candidates need to be able to communicate with voters
Campaign Regulation

Is it possible to opt out of political leaflets through the letterbox?

March 19, 2026

Written by Thomas Worth In the months leading up to elections, voters are often inundated with all sorts of literature...

Scotland should look again at how its parliament is elected
Scottish Parliament

Why Holyrood’s voting system still favours larger parties

February 24, 2026

Everyone knows that First Past the Post favours the largest party. At the last Westminster election, Labour managed to turn...

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Global Perspectives

Discover how countries around the world run their elections.

All 🌍 Australia 🇦🇺 Austria 🇦🇹 Belgium 🇧🇪 Brazil 🇧🇷 Canada 🇨🇦 Denmark 🇩🇰 Estonia 🇪🇪 Fiji 🇫🇯 Finland 🇫🇮 France 🇫🇷 Germany 🇩🇪 Greece 🇬🇷 Guernsey 🇬🇬 Hungary 🇭🇺 India 🇮🇳 Ireland 🇮🇪 Italy 🇮🇹 Jamaica 🇯🇲 Japan 🇯🇵 Jersey 🇯🇪 Latvia 🇱🇻 Lebanon 🇱🇧 Malta 🇲🇹 Netherlands 🇳🇱 New Zealand 🇳🇿 North Korea 🇰🇵 Norway 🇳🇴 Poland 🇵🇱 Portugal 🇵🇹 Romania 🇷🇴 Slovenia 🇸🇮 South Africa 🇿🇦 Sweden 🇸🇪 Switzerland 🇨🇭 Turkey 🇹🇷 United States of America 🇺🇸
Ireland's general election will mark a century of national elections held using the Single Transferable Vote
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Unlike the UK, Ireland’s voting system can cope with changing voter preferences

November 28, 2024

When Ireland goes to the polls for its general election, on Friday 29 November, it will mark over 100 years...

The Republic of Ireland has successfully used STV for over _100 years
Electoral Reform in Westminster

How did the Republic of Ireland get proportional representation?

August 10, 2022

Today, almost every election held on the island of Ireland uses the Single Transferable Vote (STV). Bar elections for the 18...

other countries have powerful regional representatives, Britain remains the odd-one-out
House of Lords

How are the members of upper houses chosen around the world?

January 27, 2022

Many countries use a bicameral political system – meaning that they have two chambers in their parliament. These parliaments are...

There are many ways party leaders and prime ministers are chosen across Europe
Electoral Reform in Westminster

How are Prime Ministers chosen around the world?

January 19, 2022

With pressure mounting on Boris Johnson, it’s looking increasingly possible that Britain could well soon have a new Prime Minister....

2022 is a big year for presidential elections in Europe
Electoral Reform in Westminster

How are Presidents elected around Europe?

January 5, 2022

2022 is a big year for presidential elections in Europe – with the Italian, German and French presidencies all open...

There’s much the UK could adopt from the recent Irish proposals
Campaign Regulation

An independent Electoral Commission for Ireland – A step forward for democracy

January 12, 2021

While in the UK the government has recently threatened our independent elections watchdog with abolition if it cannot be ‘radically...

America polling station
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Four ways of electing a president – ranked from worst to best

November 2, 2020

America’s presidential election is the most famous presidential election in the world. The antiquated American system of choosing a president...

Parliament House
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Does PR mean coalitions? As New Zealand shows – it’s all down to the voters

October 20, 2020

The New Zealand Labour party are celebrating a landslide win, with 49 percent of the vote and enough MPs to...

Parties know they can’t just ignore an area or take others for granted
Electoral Reform in Westminster

In Ireland, it actually feels like my vote makes a difference

February 18, 2020

As part of a series on the experiences of voters in the Irish 2020 election, we wanted to speak with...

At school in Ireland, the STV system was explained to us in Civics class
Electoral Reform in Westminster

With STV in Ireland, politicians cannot afford to ignore people

February 13, 2020

As part of a series on the experiences of voters in the Irish 2020 election, we wanted to speak with...

I was canvassed by one current TD at my doorstep, and two other candidates out and about
Electoral Reform in Westminster

If people want change in Ireland, they can get it at the ballot box

February 11, 2020

As part of a series on the experiences of voters in the Irish 2020 election, we wanted to speak with...

Which countries in Europe use PR_
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Which European countries use proportional representation?

December 26, 2018

Of the 43 countries most often considered to be within Europe, 40 use some form of proportional representation to elect...

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