Electoral Reform Society Scotland is Scotland's leading authority on elections, democracy and political power.
ERS Scotland, 12 South Charlotte St, Edinburgh, EH2 4AX
ERS Scotland researches the effectiveness of representative democracy in Scotland, campaigns for improvements in the systems and processes of government, and seeks to promote debate and discussion about Scotland’s democratic future.
The Act As If We Own the Place campaign is dedicated to improving Scotland’s local democracy.
Starting with the People’s Gathering in July 2012, Democracy Max sought to create a non-partisan space where those with different views could debate and discuss ideas about our democracy, and where political rhetoric could be challenged and unpicked.
At the close of the polls on Thursday, people in Scotland will have faced 10 opportunities to vote in the last eight years. Of these elections and referendums, the general election is the only completely non-proportional vote, using First Past The Post to decide who we send to Westminster. Where Scottish democracy has moved forward […]
Professor Sir John Curtice’s analysis of the 2017 Scottish Local Election results and look ahead to 2022.
The Society has continued to bring the focus back to the problems of Westminster’s unjust, winner-takes-all politics.
Willie is the Director of ERS Scotland. He has worked at senior levels in the business, voluntary and public sector. He was the Campaign consultant on the successful Fairshare Campaign for introduction of STV for Scottish Local Government and was Campaign Director for Vote for a Change, the campaign to secure a referendum on electoral reform.
Willie was seconded to be Head of Field Operations for the Yes campaign in the UK wide AV referendum. He also has been a paid political advisor to senior politicians in the UK and Scottish governments.
Phil is an experienced campaigner and organiser who has worked in the democratic reform sector since 2007. His previous roles include working for Scottish think tank Common Weal, Vote for a Change, Power 2010 and the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign. He is also currently the coordinator of the proportional representation lobby group Make Votes Count.
Alice joined ERS in June 2017. While completing her MA in International Studies and Diplomacy from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, she worked for youth and human rights based campaign groups in the U.K. Fluent in Spanish she lived in both Brazil and Spain undertaking work with local democratic organisations and movements. Returning to Scotland Alice undertook policy research for Common Weal think tank and co-ordinates conferences on political and social issues in Scotland whilst furthering her interest in the political economy of state society relations.
Before joining ERS, Jonathon was a senior researcher for an independent MSP in the Scottish Parliament where he worked on a range of issues including efforts to develop extended political communication to rural Scotland. He has a long standing interest in political engagement and brings the experience of various social movements aimed at raising democratic participation amongst groups of people who often feel alienated the political system. He holds a joint Honours degree in Politics and Sociology, and has work published on a range of outlets.