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| Scottish ministers need to 'get a grip' of local elections, say campaigners | Scottish ministers need to 'get a grip' of local elections, say campaigners |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| It is now twelve weeks since Scotland voted in its new councillors, yet it has taken until now for the first authoritative figure about the turnout to be published. And with it has come further questions about the transparency of local democracy. | It is now twelve weeks since Scotland voted in its new councillors, yet it has taken until now for the first authoritative figure about the turnout to be published. And with it has come further questions about the transparency of local democracy. |
| Campaigners at the Electoral Reform Society have calculated that 39.7% of Scotland's registered voters cast a ballot on 3 May. That is the lowest figure for a Scottish local election since unitary authorities were introduced in the mid-90s, but marginally the highest turnout UK-wide on the day. | Campaigners at the Electoral Reform Society have calculated that 39.7% of Scotland's registered voters cast a ballot on 3 May. That is the lowest figure for a Scottish local election since unitary authorities were introduced in the mid-90s, but marginally the highest turnout UK-wide on the day. |
| That is broadly in line with a fistful of post-election estimates, from Alex Salmond, election officers and the media, which oscillated between 38% and nearly 42%. But in 1995, the last time Scotland's councillors were elected in a standalone poll, the turnout was just under 45%. (They were held alongside Holyrood elections until the spoilt ballot chaos in 2007 led to council and parliament elections being separated.) | That is broadly in line with a fistful of post-election estimates, from Alex Salmond, election officers and the media, which oscillated between 38% and nearly 42%. But in 1995, the last time Scotland's councillors were elected in a standalone poll, the turnout was just under 45%. (They were held alongside Holyrood elections until the spoilt ballot chaos in 2007 led to council and parliament elections being separated.) |
| But it won't be until 11 September that the Electoral Commission publishes the official Scottish figure – two months later than the English, Welsh and London figures which came out in mid-July, and more than four months after the vote itself. | But it won't be until 11 September that the Electoral Commission publishes the official Scottish figure – two months later than the English, Welsh and London figures which came out in mid-July, and more than four months after the vote itself. |
| The ERS reckons that delay in getting Scotland's official figures is cause in itself for concern, but its research also uncovered "huge inconsistencies" in the way Scotland's 32 councils collated and presented data on local voting, raising fresh questions about their accountability. This is puzzling: votes on May 3 were all counted electronically, using the same technology. | The ERS reckons that delay in getting Scotland's official figures is cause in itself for concern, but its research also uncovered "huge inconsistencies" in the way Scotland's 32 councils collated and presented data on local voting, raising fresh questions about their accountability. This is puzzling: votes on May 3 were all counted electronically, using the same technology. |
| A large majority of councils failed to publish a total number of eligible voters on 3 May: the only authoritative published figure for residents able to vote in council elections dates back to 1 December 2011. The ERS reckons at least 19,000 voters had fallen off the official roll by 3 May. | A large majority of councils failed to publish a total number of eligible voters on 3 May: the only authoritative published figure for residents able to vote in council elections dates back to 1 December 2011. The ERS reckons at least 19,000 voters had fallen off the official roll by 3 May. |
| Willie Sullivan, director of ERS Scotland, said it was time for ministers to "get a grip", forcing through clear pan-Scotland rules on publishing complete turnout data either on or much closer to the election count. | Willie Sullivan, director of ERS Scotland, said it was time for ministers to "get a grip", forcing through clear pan-Scotland rules on publishing complete turnout data either on or much closer to the election count. |
| Election turnout figures are fundamental for monitoring the health of any democracy. In Scotland we haven't even agreed how to measure it. | Election turnout figures are fundamental for monitoring the health of any democracy. In Scotland we haven't even agreed how to measure it. |
| The Scottish government and the Electoral Management Board must work to improve the consistency of reporting across councils and publish an agreed methodology. Only then will we know for sure who's turning out and who's turning off from our democracy. | The Scottish government and the Electoral Management Board must work to improve the consistency of reporting across councils and publish an agreed methodology. Only then will we know for sure who's turning out and who's turning off from our democracy. |
| Sullivan says ERS Scotland – which has a stated interest in promoting voting and democratic reform – got its total figure by taking the ward-by-ward percentage turnout figures for all 353 wards, plus the actual votes cast, and then toting up the results. | Sullivan says ERS Scotland – which has a stated interest in promoting voting and democratic reform – got its total figure by taking the ward-by-ward percentage turnout figures for all 353 wards, plus the actual votes cast, and then toting up the results. |
| In doing so, they calculate there were 3,990,398 registered voters on 3 May, against the 4,010,000 registered on 1 December 2011. Many of the missing voters may have died or moved. | In doing so, they calculate there were 3,990,398 registered voters on 3 May, against the 4,010,000 registered on 1 December 2011. Many of the missing voters may have died or moved. |
| (If confirmed by the commission in September, Scotland has the distinction of getting the highest turnout on 3 May, by a nose. The ERS figure is a touch higher than the 39% the Electoral Commission reported for Wales earlier this month, and the 38.8% for the London mayoral and assembly elections. | (If confirmed by the commission in September, Scotland has the distinction of getting the highest turnout on 3 May, by a nose. The ERS figure is a touch higher than the 39% the Electoral Commission reported for Wales earlier this month, and the 38.8% for the London mayoral and assembly elections. |
| Turnout in other English council elections on 3 May was a troubling 31.1%, despite publicity around the elected mayors on offer, further reinforcing anxieties about a downward slide in voting, but elections for England's much more diverse range of councils are far more frequent than in Scotland.) | Turnout in other English council elections on 3 May was a troubling 31.1%, despite publicity around the elected mayors on offer, further reinforcing anxieties about a downward slide in voting, but elections for England's much more diverse range of councils are far more frequent than in Scotland.) |
| ERS Scotland is running a year-long initiative on democratic reform, Democracy Max, which is tied to the debate on Scotland's constitutional future; assembling the data on local voting is part of that. Sullivan added: | ERS Scotland is running a year-long initiative on democratic reform, Democracy Max, which is tied to the debate on Scotland's constitutional future; assembling the data on local voting is part of that. Sullivan added: |
As a small office, this is an incredibly lengthy process, but the collating of turnout would be very straightforward for the relevant government department should a centrally agreed methodology be found. | As a small office, this is an incredibly lengthy process, but the collating of turnout would be very straightforward for the relevant government department should a centrally agreed methodology be found. |
| St Andrew's House offered a neutral-sounding response, but in it came a first hint they were prepared to consider changes – opening the door to ERS Scotland, if nothing else: | St Andrew's House offered a neutral-sounding response, but in it came a first hint they were prepared to consider changes – opening the door to ERS Scotland, if nothing else: |
| The Electoral Commission and the Electoral Management Board are due to submit reports to the Scottish Parliament in the Autumn on the running of the local government elections held in May 2012. | The Electoral Commission and the Electoral Management Board are due to submit reports to the Scottish Parliament in the Autumn on the running of the local government elections held in May 2012. |
| The Scottish government will consider these reports and any other representations made about issues arising from the elections before deciding whether any changes should be made to the arrangements for future local government elections. | The Scottish government will consider these reports and any other representations made about issues arising from the elections before deciding whether any changes should be made to the arrangements for future local government elections. |
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