The Reformer

All Around the World Basics Case Study Current Affairs Commentary Developments at the ERS ERS Cymru ERS Northern Ireland ERS Report Launch ERS Scotland Featured Polling Your Questions Answered
2019 must be the last election with voters left in the dark
Campaign Regulation

As the Scottish Government closes the ‘dark ads’ loophole, Westminster must follow suit

For too long now, online political campaigning in Britain has gone effectively unregulated – to the benefit of well-funded, secretive groups, and...

ERS Cymru

Manifesto for Democracy: Education for the future

October 29, 2020

Education is key to ensuring that newly enfranchised voters understand the system they can now have a voice in. That...

ERS Cymru

Manifesto for democracy: A Stronger Senedd

October 23, 2020

The Senedd looks very different to when it was first conceived in 1999. Ongoing devolution has meant more powers are...

ERS Cymru 2021 manifesto preview
ERS Cymru

ERS Cymru’s 2021 Manifesto for Democracy

In just over six short months voters in Wales will head to the polls for the Senedd elections. This election...

My experience in the Australian Capital Territory has changed my mind
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Westminster could learn a lot from the Australian Capital Territory 

Could Australia’s capital show the rest of Australia and Westminster how to be fairer and more representative?

Campaign Regulation

Tackling online harms to our democracy must be a priority 

October 20, 2020

Last week, the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee criticised the government for its repeated delays...

Campaign Regulation

Democracy and ‘deterrence’: How out-of-date campaign rules leave the door open to turnout suppression

October 20, 2020

Presidential elections tend to highlight the best and worst of US democracy. In 2016, for instance, the winner of the...

Parliament House
Electoral Reform in Westminster

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

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

Scrutiny

Voters risk being locked out – unless this crucial change is made

October 20, 2020

When the ‘virtual Parliament’ was launched at the end of April, the UK was witnessing around 5,000 new coronavirus cases...

Parliament House
Polling Day

Early voting doesn’t have to mean long queues

Two news stories stood out this week. As early voting opened in some US states, images of voters queuing all...

Just 25 percent of attainers are registered
Voter Registration

This simple change could help bring in the ‘missing millions’

Rather than putting up bureaucratic barriers to engaging with politics, we should be ensuring everyone can use their vote.

New Zealand MMP song
Electoral Reform in Westminster

New Zealand’s MMP electoral system: how does it work?

New Zealand actor Jack Buchanan explains how MMP works in this music video created in partnership with the New Zealand...