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How the 2019 election results could have looked with proportional representation

Ever wondered how the 2019 General Election result would have come out with a form of proportional representation? The Single Transferable Vote (STV) is a form of proportional representation used in Northern Ireland for all...

Posted 13 Dec 2019

Parties respond to ERS call to make electoral reform a priority after the election

Earlier this week, the ERS wrote to all the main parties in Britain, calling for them to make proportional representation a number one priority in any cross-party talks or in government. The ERS has received...

Posted 11 Dec 2019

Three ways Westminster’s voting system has skewed the election – before a single vote is cast

Though we are still a couple of days away from knowing the outcome of the general election, the campaign has already exposed the worst flaws of the First Past the Post (FPTP) voting system. In...

Posted 10 Dec 2019

In many parts of the UK there isn’t much of a contest this election

Introducing the ERS General Election Results Hub

Every general election, sites like the BBC, Guardian and Telegraph present live updates of the general election results as they roll in. Yet, despite having the data in front of you, it’s often hard to see the warping effect of our broken...

Posted 09 Dec 2019

14 Million Voters Are In Seats That Haven’t Changed Hands Since WW2. Here’s Why

Nearly 14 million voters are in seats that have not changed party hands since the Second World War, according to new research by the Electoral Reform Society. Taking into account equivalent predecessor seats, some seats have...

Posted 09 Dec 2019

Huge parts of this country are effectively competition-free zones

What does the Electoral Commission do?

The Electoral Commission is an independent body established in 2001. Its mandate is limited by what is set out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (PPERA) 2000 and subsequent amendments. The Electoral Commission...

Posted 09 Dec 2019

The Electoral Commission is not an all-encompassing democracy watchdog

What is proportional representation?

Lots of people think the way we vote in the UK isn’t fair. They want something called proportional representation. But what does that mean? There are lots of different ways to decide who gets to...

Posted 06 Dec 2019

With PR, the number of MPs in parliament are ‘in proportion’ to the votes cast

What can we learn from Canada’s Leaders’ Debate Commission?

This election’s televised leaders debates have taken place against a backdrop of endless rows over who should be allowed to take part, in what has become a recurring feature of our election campaigns. Arguments over...

Posted 04 Dec 2019

Is this the ‘hold your nose’ election? Record-breaking numbers set to vote tactically

Polling from BMG research for the Electoral Reform Society has revealed that a record-breaking 30% of the public plan to vote ‘tactically’ in the next General Election. Tactical voting occurs when voters choose the best-positioned...

Posted 04 Dec 2019

Record-breaking 30% of the public plan to vote ‘tactically’ in the General Election

Democracy Day: On December 5th, it’s time to break the silence on political reform

Few would say with honesty that Westminster is working. So it’s time to talk about how to change it. The Electoral Reform Society – along with other democracy organisations – are calling for December 5th...

Posted 02 Dec 2019