MPs in joint call to ‘protect and strengthen’ the Electoral Commission, 20 years after its foundationThis week marks 20 years since the Electoral Commission was founded. It’s a time for celebration of its successes but also a time to look to its future. That’s why former Digital, Culture, Media and...Posted 04 Dec 2020
Happy birthday to the Electoral Commission – now let’s give it the powers it needsThis Monday marks 20 years since the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 received Royal Assent. It was an act which set up the Electoral Commission, the UK’s independent elections watchdog – and tackled...Posted 30 Nov 2020
Why we need transparency around the political use of personal dataIn recent years, we’ve talked a lot about the rise of online political campaigning and the impact this can have on our democratic processes – the ERS has been at the forefront of calling for...Posted 26 Nov 2020
20 years since the Electoral Commission was founded, our watchdog needs more cloutMonday 30th November marks the 20th Anniversary of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act. In 2000, just 30% of people had internet access at home. Facebook was years from conception. Today, campaigners spend millions each election...Posted 25 Nov 2020
These US states voted to make elections fairerIn the past two weeks, the flaws of the US electoral system have become plain for all to see. As the dust slowly settles, it’s worth looking at some results that aren’t the presidential race....Posted 13 Nov 2020
ERS in the Press – October 2020This month has seen a renewed interest in proportional representation internationally. Willie Sullivan backed up the case for a fairer voting system in Canada, drawing on his experience in Scotland. “If you want a system...Posted 29 Oct 2020
As the Scottish Government closes the ‘dark ads’ loophole, Westminster must follow suitFor too long now, online political campaigning in Britain has gone effectively unregulated – to the benefit of well-funded, secretive groups, and to the detriment of voters. Despite the rapid rise of online political ads as a campaign tool, governments...Posted 29 Oct 2020
Tackling online harms to our democracy must be a priority Last week, the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee criticised the government for its repeated delays in publishing legislation to tackle online harms. In a statement calling for urgent action, committee...Posted 20 Oct 2020
Democracy and ‘deterrence’: How out-of-date campaign rules leave the door open to turnout suppressionPresidential elections tend to highlight the best and worst of US democracy. In 2016, for instance, the winner of the popular vote did not win the election, due to the electoral college system – a...Posted 20 Oct 2020
ERS in the Press – September 2020As the government continues to implement new restrictions to fight the second wave of coronavirus, the cracks in Britain’s political system continue to grow behind the curtain. In September we released new research on party...Posted 02 Oct 2020