APPENDIX 2
INCREASING ELECTORAL REGISTRATION AND TURNOUT - A CHECK-LIST FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES
Based on responses to this and previous surveys, on the expertise of the Association of Electoral Administrators and on 'best practice' in a number of local authorities, we have drawn up a list of ideas and innovations for improving the process of registration and encouraging greater public participation at elections.
REGISTRATION
- Design your own Form A which is pre-printed, bar-coded and colour-coded.
- Use personal canvassers to produce the electoral register.
- Carry out an extensive training session for new canvassers.
- Split the canvass areas into smaller, more manageable pieces.
- Use electoral registration calling cards if a household is out when a canvasser visits.
- Set up a payment-by-results system for canvassers.
- Mention the availability of credit on forms to encourage people to register.
- Use the telephone to contact non-responding households.
- Use a prize draw (or similar) to encourage registration.
- Use a 'threatening letter' at the end of the registration period.
- Consider prosecuting non-responders.
- Target students by sending forms earlier, use advertising and work with the Student Union. Give presentations to schools about registration.
- Liaise with other departments in your local authority (e.g. Council Tax and Housing).
- Work in a consortia of authorities to try to increase registration.
- Review the authority's policy of carrying names forward in the electoral register.
- Consider the authority's policy of anonymous registration.
ABSENT VOTING
- Include information about absent voting on Form A and/or on a leaflet delivered with Form A.
- Send information about absent voting to institutions such as residential homes, hospitals, hostels, and universities.
- Include information about absent voting on poll cards.
- Send poll cards out at an earlier date - allowing enough time for electors to use an absent vote.
- Consider different ways of advertising the facility of absent voting.
POLL CARDS AND POLLING PLACES/STATIONS
- Review the policy of whether poll cards are hand-delivered or posted.
- Deliver poll cards at an earlier date - allowing enough time for electors to use an absent vote.
- Include information about absent voting on poll cards.
- Consider changing the text and appearance of the poll card.
- Provide ramps and polling booths for the disabled at all polling stations.
- Keep the location of polling places/stations under constant review.
TURNOUT
- Explore new ways to advertise the election (e.g. use the Council web-site).
- Deliver a leaflet or letter to all residents providing information on the election and encouraging them to 'Use Their Vote'.
- Use the local media to provide information about the election.
- Give presentations to schools about elections. Target an advertising campaign on attainers.
- Have an Electoral Services stall at local shows and exhibitions.
- Work in a consortia of authorities to try to increase turnout - and to spread the cost of initiatives.
- Provide additional polling stations in areas where electors have some distance to travel in order to vote.
- Consider changing the location of polling places/stations to ease the convenience of voting.
- Consult the public to discover the reasons for not voting in elections.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Advisory Group on Citizenship (1999)Education for Citizenship.
Bush, Graham (1999) 'The Local Government Electoral Process: An Historical Overview'Political Science, 50, 148-164.
DETR (1998)Budget for the Registration of Electors.
European Union: Committee of the Regions (1999) Voter turnout at regional and local elections in the European Union, Brussels
Miller, William (1988)Irrelevant Elections?Oxford: University Press.
Lowndes, Vivien et al (1998)Enhancing Public ParticipationLondon: DETR.
Rallings, Colin and Michael Thrasher (1994)Explaining Election TurnoutLondon: HMSO.
Rallings, Colin and Michael Thrasher (1997)Local Elections in BritainLondon: Routledge.
Rallings, Colin, Michael Thrasher and James Downe (1996)Enhancing Local Electoral TurnoutYork: York Publishing Services.
Scope Reports (1992 and 1997) Research on Access to Polling Stations for the Disabled.
Southwell, Priscilla L. and Burchett, Justin (1997) 'Survey of Vote-by-Mail Senate Election in the State of Oregon'PS: Political Science and Politics, 30, 53-57.
White Paper (1998)Modern Local Government - In touch with the peopleCm 4014.
Published 3 May 2000
Return to Local and Regional Government Index
Return to Homepage
Web site terms