How did Denmark get proportional representation?Denmark today is home to one of the most proportional voting systems in the world, but, for a long time, elections to the Danish Folketing took place using First Past the Post. So why and...Posted 01 Mar 2023
How do elections work in Estonia?Estonia is undoubtedly one of eastern Europe’s biggest success stories since the collapse of communism – its economy has developed quickly (with a GDP (PPP) per capita now on a par with Japan) and it...Posted 25 Feb 2023
Here’s how SNP leadership elections workThe deadline for contenders to put themselves forward for the next SNP leadership passed at midday on the 24th February, so it is now confirmed there are three potential future leaders. Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes...Posted 24 Feb 2023
Why will the government’s voter ID scheme cost us up to £180,000,000 a decade?Making it harder for people to vote is an expensive business. The government’s impact assessment of the Elections Act suggested the new scheme demanding certain forms of ID at polling stations could cost up to...Posted 22 Feb 2023
Are there whips in the House of Lords?From 1990s TV series House of Cards to James Graham’s play This House, the role of the Whip in British politics has long been a source of fascination. While much is said of Whips in...Posted 17 Feb 2023
Will I need photo ID to get a postal vote?Slowly, the country is waking up to the fact that the government have changed the rules for who can vote. Voters on the 4th of May who want to take part in local elections across...Posted 10 Feb 2023
Welcome to Your Vote Week – Raising young people’s political awarenessThis week is Welcome to Your Vote Week, a campaign by the Electoral Commission to spark campaigners across the UK to speak to students in schools and raise young people’s political awareness. Amidst a global...Posted 02 Feb 2023
Why did Belgium adopt proportional representation?In 1899, Belgium became the first country in the world to adopt a proportional system for national elections. At that point, it had primarily been the preserve of theoretical debate, with only a handful of...Posted 01 Feb 2023
Government plans heading for trouble as just 10,000 people apply for government-issued voter IDEvidence is building that the Government’s flagship voter ID policy is heading for failure and election day chaos in May as millions still lack the necessary ID to vote on election day. Last month polling...Posted 01 Feb 2023
We told the Welsh Government our suggestions for how to remove barriers to votingSince elections were devolved to Wales in the Wales Act 2017 there have been a lot of changes for Welsh democracy. We’ve seen the extension of the franchise to 16 and 17 year olds and...Posted 31 Jan 2023