Governance and Performance

According to the Society’s Articles, the objects of the Society are:

1. To secure the adoption of the principle of proportional representation by the method of the single transferable vote (preferential voting with quota counting) in elections in the British Isles and elsewhere for parliaments, provincial, regional and local authorities, other public and semi-public bodies and for officers and governing bodies corporate or unincorporate; and to facilitate development, improvement and mechanisation of the techniques associated therewith;
2. To advocate and support other measures, not being inconsistent with the above which are conducive to:
   a. Strengthening democratic governance;
   b. Maximising voter participation;
   c. Ensuring that elections are conducted according to standards of fairness and equality, and that counting processes are transparent and open to scrutiny;
   d. Ensuring that electoral processes are regulated so that no interest is able to secure an unfair advantage; and/or
   e. Implementing internationally accepted standards of electoral practice; and
3. To advance the study of electoral science.

If you wish to become, or are already a member, we recommend that you read the full Articles of Association and Byelaws of the Electoral Reform Society.

The Electoral Reform Society (ERS) is an independent campaigning organisation, owned by our members, working to build a better democracy.

We are funded via the generous support of our members and income from our investments. You can support the work of the ERS by becoming a member.

The Society is a membership organisation driven by the commitment of thousands of members and supporters, governed by a Board of up to 15, of which 12 are democratically elected by our members under the Single Transferable Vote.

The Board

The Board is the governing body of the Society, with ultimate responsibility for its governance and strategic direction. The Board consists of up to 15 directors, of which 12 are elected by our members. Elections are held for half of their number every other year and they serve for a four-year term. All ERS members (other than members who are under 16, disqualified from serving as a company director, or current members of staff) are allowed to stand for election to the Board.

Members of the Board elect four Officers via the Alternative Vote, (Chair, Vice Chair – Management, Deputy Chair – Campaigns and Research and Treasurer), who each have particular areas of strategic focus.

The Board meets four times a year, working with the Senior Management Team to make decisions on policy, strategy and governance issues. Find out more about our Board.

The Senior Management Team

The Board delegates responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Society to the Chief Executive and Senior Management Team.

Each year the Society publishes an Annual Report