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Elections 2021: Rotten boroughs are rife in England, as voters are hit by warped results

We’re already seeing a plethora of rotten results – with parties taking nearly all the seats on a fraction of the vote.

Posted 07 May 2021

A snapshot of the unfair outcomes under England’s zero-sum voting system

Who can I vote for? How do I vote? What everyone needs to know for the May elections

May sees elections for around 5,000 seats in England, votes for the Mayor of London and London Assembly, the Senedd (Welsh Parliament), the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood), and Police and Crime Commissioner elections. Holyrood and the...

Posted 23 Apr 2021

If you want to vote by proxy, your application must arrive by 5pm on 27 April

How May’s London Assembly elections will work

This May, millions of Londoners will go to the polls to vote for the Mayor and the London Assembly. The London Assembly is the political body that holds the mayor to account and scrutinises their...

Posted 07 Apr 2021

The London-wide vote compensates for the warping effects of First Past the Post

How elections for the Mayor of London will work

On May 6, one year after elections were supposed to be held, more than six million Londoners will be called to the polling stations to elect their mayor (alongside 25 members of the London Assembly)...

Posted 01 Apr 2021

London’s Mayor will be elected using the Supplementary Vote making more votes matter

There are big reasons some people won’t vote this May – and it’s not just Covid

When one party takes all – on a fraction of the vote – people understandably feel alienated and voiceless, and new research appears to back this up.

Posted 19 Mar 2021

Ministers need to tackle the main impediment to voting

A bumper year for local elections – but a dud system is holding England back

Last week, the government announced that the elections on May 6th will go ahead – a welcome bit of clarity. Although this is good news for democracy, voters will still be short-changed under England’s one-party-takes-all...

Posted 12 Feb 2021

Scotland, Northern Ireland and now Wales can have local PR, why can’t England?

Finally, some clarity on England’s local elections

UK ministers have finally confirmed that local elections in England will go ahead on the 6th of May, after being delayed in 2020 due to the pandemic. Here's what we know.

Posted 05 Feb 2021

In Wales and Scotland there has been far greater transparency

What is going on with England’s May elections?

This past week we’ve seen a dizzying array of conflicting reports for the government’s plans for May’s polls, with Conservative party figures suggesting delays are likely, despite official advice that plans are unchanged but ‘under...

Posted 21 Jan 2021

Elections are fundamental to democracy and must be properly managed

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

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