Member News
By Tony Grew - 30th September 2010
The independent body that regulates elections and referendums has said the question on AV should be changed.
A referendum on changing the voting system is due to be held on May 5.
Today the electoral commission reported that the question should be changed "to make sure voters find it easier to understand".
The proposed wording in the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill currently before parliament is:
"Do you want the United Kingdom to adopt the 'alternative vote' system instead of the current 'first past the post' system for electing Members of Parliament to the House of Commons?"
The commission carried out qualitative research on the question with voters from across the UK.
Its chair Jenny Watson said:
"People told us that the wording of the question – with some changes – was easy to understand.
"However, they have a limited knowledge of what the 'first past the post' system is and almost no understanding of the 'alternative vote' system.
"Our research took place without the campaigns and extensive media coverage that will be in place in the run up to the referendum.
"We found that when participants had more information on how both systems worked, their understanding improved and they could cast their vote in the way they intended.
"On the whole, people taking part in the research found the government's proposed referendum question clear and understood what it was about.
"But some people, particularly those with lower levels of education or literacy, found the question hard work and did not understand it.
"The structure of the question, its length, and some of the language used made it harder to read than it needed to be."
A cabinet office spokeswoman has welcomed the report and said the government "will consider its suggestions carefully".
The commission has recommended a redrafted question that addresses these issues.
Their proposed redraft of the question is:
"At present, the UK uses the 'first past the post' system to elect MPs to the House of Commons. Should the 'alternative vote' system be used instead?"
Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards said the government "have tried to ram this through the Houses of Parliament in order to have a quick referendum without giving due time and consideration to the issues being debated".
He called for wide consultation and a delay in the referendum or a date that does not coincide with Welsh Assembly elections, "rather than trying to construct a political fix which largely favours the Liberal Democrats".
Earlier this week new Labour leader Ed Miliband announced he would vote for AV, but it is not clear if he will compel his MPs to support the referendum bill in parliament.
Article Comments
The question should be 'At present, the U K uses the 'person with the most votes' system to elect MPs to the House of Commons. Should the 'Alternative more choice' system be used instead.'
Donald J C Cameron
2nd Oct 2010 at 10:58 pm
AV (Alternative Vote) is NOT genuine Proportional Representation, which has already been given to the Scots and the Welsh using the AMS (Additional Member System) which ensures that the number of seats allocated is directly proportional to the number of votes cast, and which has worked extremely well for over 10 years now.
We should have the same system throughout the UK, rather than a 'dog's breakfast' of different systems which simply confuse people.
Grahame Leon-Smith
2nd Oct 2010 at 11:36 am
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