Electoral Reform Society

7 democratic developments to watch out for this year

What does democracy look like in a pandemic? It’s a question that came up a lot last year – and 2021 seems no different. This year could see some major developments when it comes to...

Posted 18 Jan 2021

This year could see some major developments when it comes to voters rights

Scotland’s local democracy is not an optional extra

The experience of the covid-19 crisis has served to underline and strengthen the case ERS Scotland has long been making for a revamped local democracy. The work undertaken in recent years – alongside a range...

Posted 14 Jan 2021

Thriving, empowered communities develop the foundations for long term prosperity

Five times the ERS set the news agenda in 2020

Despite the difficulties of 2020, the ERS kept up the pressure and make the case for political reform in a crowded news cycle. From promoting our key campaigns through our analysis of the 2019 election...

Posted 13 Jan 2021

More than 1,000 news and comment pieces mentioned the ERS’ work in 2020

An independent Electoral Commission for Ireland – A step forward for democracy

While in the UK the government has recently threatened our independent elections watchdog with abolition if it cannot be ‘radically overhauled’, across the sea, the Irish government has recently set out plans for establishing an...

Posted 12 Jan 2021

There’s much the UK could adopt from the recent Irish proposals

What is the House of Lords Appointments Commission?

A little-known non-departmental public body, the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC), has recently been thrust into the spotlight, following the Prime Minister’s latest round of appointments to the House of Lords (if you weren’t...

Posted 12 Jan 2021

This is the first time that the Commissions advice has been ignored

Democracy delayed? Voters and officials need clarity now on England’s May elections

Toby James, University of East Anglia and Alistair Clark, Newcastle University Which activities are essential during a pandemic? Across England, school buildings have been closed, as have many shops, businesses and sports facilities. So what...

Posted 08 Jan 2021

Urgent and decisive action is needed immediately

A small change has the potential to make a big difference to Australian elections

In 1918, a seemingly ordinary by-election in the Australian electoral division of Swan changed Australian federal politics forever. The conservatives left Labor in the dust with almost double the vote. Unfortunately for them, there were...

Posted 08 Jan 2021

How close was Trump to winning the election?

Just before the 2020 US Presidential election, we asked the question ‘could Trump win the Presidency and lose the popular vote again’? Now that results from every state have been certified and the Electoral College...

Posted 05 Jan 2021

None of Biden’s big swings brought any extra Electoral College votes

Here’s how much the PM’s new unelected Lords could cost us

The House of Lords was already bursting at the seams, but the latest batch of appointments from the Prime Minister has taken it past breaking point. Over 800 unelected lawmakers will be voting on decisions...

Posted 04 Jan 2021

The new Lords could end up costing taxpayers as much as £728,688 a year

Is the government’s Online Harms Bill fit for purpose?

By Akash Thiara, a Placement Student with the Electoral Reform Society from the University of Nottingham. After a long delay, the government has finally released plans to tackle ‘online harms’. The online harms bill, which...

Posted 04 Jan 2021

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