Fresh analysis of December’s general election reveals the ‘jaw-dropping’ scale of ignored votes by nation and English region.
“Voters Left Voiceless: The 2019 General Election” by researchers at the Electoral Reform Society – highlights how the one-party-takes-all electoral system delivered warped results across the UK that left the votes of 22.6 million people ignored in December’s poll.
New supplementary data – to be published on Tuesday – sheds more light on how winner-takes-all voted marginalised voters on an ‘industrial scale’ in different parts of the UK.
[See below quote for full breakdowns/data by region]
Under Westminster’s winner-takes-all voting system only a small subset of votes are decisive in securing representation. Votes case for non-elected candidates or for winning candidates that are over and above what they need to be elected are effectively ignored.
At the 2019 general election, a staggering number of voters saw their vote count for nothing. In total over 22.6 million votes (70.8%) did not contribute to electing an MP and were effectively ignored. Of this 14.5 million people (45.3% of all voters) cast their vote for a non-elected candidate, while 8.1 million votes (25.5%) were ‘surplus’, i.e. they were cast for the elected candidate but did not contribute to their election.
In England, voters in the East of England were the most disenfranchised with 74% of votes ignored. This was followed by London where 73% of votes were ignored – 2.7m voters. In Scotland, 1.9m votes were effectively ignored (69%), while in Wales the figure was 1m (68%).
The ERS back the Single Transferable Vote [1], used for elections in Ireland and local councils in Scotland.
Dr Jess Garland, Director of Policy and Research at the Electoral Reform Society, said:
“These fresh findings are another indictment of Westminster’s current one-party-takes-all system. Under the current system, millions of voters across the country are left effectively voiceless – with all votes not cast for the one winner in each seat going effectively ignored.
“It is no wonder trust in politics is at rock bottom. The vast majority of people’s votes are being systematically ignored by a voting system that is morally and politically bankrupt.
“It’s time Westminster caught up with the rest of the UK and ensured seats in parliament reflect how people actually want to vote. No more ‘holding your nose’ tactical votes, ignored votes and warped results. Voters are tired of feeling voiceless – and it doesn’t have to be this way.
“Under the current system, millions of voters across the country are left voiceless – with all votes not cast for the one winner in each seat being effectively ignored. But we can build a fairer politics, where everyone is heard and your vote counts no matter where you are. It’s time for proportional representation and real democracy at Westminster.”
National/Regional Breakdown
UK
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
32,013,750 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
9,356,557 |
29.2% |
| Ignored Votes |
22,657,193 |
70.8% |
|
|
14,515,081 |
45.3% |
|
|
8,142,112 |
25.4% |
England
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
26,911,305 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
7,763,500 |
28.8% |
| Ignored Votes |
19,147,805 |
71.2% |
|
|
11,787,348 |
43.8% |
|
|
7,360,457 |
27.4% |
Scotland
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
2,759,053 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
869,357 |
31.5% |
| Ignored Votes |
1,889,696 |
68.5 |
|
|
1,481,582 |
53.7% |
|
|
408,114 |
14.8% |
Wales
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
1,544,357 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
500,077 |
32.4% |
| Ignored Votes |
1,044,280 |
67.6% |
|
|
806,116 |
52.2% |
|
|
238,164 |
15.4% |
Northern Ireland
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
799,035 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
223,623 |
28% |
| Ignored Votes |
575,412 |
72% |
|
|
440,035 |
55.1% |
|
|
135,377 |
16.9% |
East of England
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
3,068,267 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
796,395 |
26% |
| Ignored Votes |
2,271,872 |
74% |
|
|
1,259,535 |
41% |
|
|
1,012,337 |
33% |
East Midlands
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
2,338,412 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
667,691 |
28.6% |
| Ignored Votes |
1,670,721 |
71.5% |
|
|
982,871 |
42% |
|
|
687,850 |
29.4% |
London
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
3,766,129 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
1,028,376 |
27.3% |
| Ignored Votes |
2,737,753 |
72.7% |
|
|
1,625,833 |
43.2% |
|
|
1,111,920 |
29.5% |
North East
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
1,250,087 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
414,815 |
33.2% |
| Ignored Votes |
835,272 |
66.8% |
|
|
654,543 |
52.4% |
|
|
180,729 |
14.5% |
North West
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
3,523,664 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
1,085,149 |
30.8% |
| Ignored Votes |
2,438,515 |
69.2% |
|
|
1,557,546 |
44.2% |
|
|
880,969 |
25% |
South East
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
4,652,752 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
1,318,431 |
28.3% |
| Ignored Votes |
3,334,321 |
71.7% |
|
|
2,032,055 |
43.7% |
|
|
1,302,266 |
28% |
South West
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
3,053,107 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
897,612 |
29.4% |
| Ignored Votes |
2,155,495 |
70.6% |
|
|
1,348,984 |
44.2% |
|
|
806,511 |
26.4% |
West Midlands
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
2,711,954 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
769,605 |
28.4% |
| Ignored Votes |
1,942,349 |
71.6% |
|
|
1,104,023 |
40.7% |
|
|
838,326 |
30.9% |
Yorkshire and the Humber
|
Number of Votes |
Percentage of Total |
| Total Votes |
2,546,933 |
100% |
| Decisive Votes |
785,426 |
30.8% |
| Ignored Votes |
1,761,507 |
69.2% |
|
|
1,221,958 |
48% |
|
|
539,549 |
21.2% |
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Full report now up: https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/latest-news-and-research/publications/the-2019-general-election-voters-left-voiceless/
[1] https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/voting-systems/types-of-voting-system/single-transferable-vote/