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| Empty lamp-posts: one cause of Scottish voter apathy? | Empty lamp-posts: one cause of Scottish voter apathy? |
| (7 months later) | |
| In its long-awaited report (pdf) into May's Scottish council elections, the Electoral Commission has a fistful of recommendations to improve their conduct and performance, some technical and procedural but others more intriguing. | In its long-awaited report (pdf) into May's Scottish council elections, the Electoral Commission has a fistful of recommendations to improve their conduct and performance, some technical and procedural but others more intriguing. |
| It notes, for instance, that unlike in general elections the law does not limit what national parties can spend in local councils campaigns, how they spent it or who can legally donate. It wants that tidied up, smartish. | It notes, for instance, that unlike in general elections the law does not limit what national parties can spend in local councils campaigns, how they spent it or who can legally donate. It wants that tidied up, smartish. |
| And it also flags up one issue which may help boost turnout, up from the record low of 39.8% in May. It reveals that a large majority of Scottish councils now ban parties from erecting candidate placards and party posters on lamp-posts and street signs – it believes only 11 out of 32 allow it. | And it also flags up one issue which may help boost turnout, up from the record low of 39.8% in May. It reveals that a large majority of Scottish councils now ban parties from erecting candidate placards and party posters on lamp-posts and street signs – it believes only 11 out of 32 allow it. |
| So in large parts of Scotland – including major cities such as Glasgow, where turnout in May hit a dangerously low 32.42% - many residents may be wholly unaware there is an election on; yet in North and South Lanarkshire, Highlands, East Renfrewshire, Shetland, Orkney or the Western Isles, lamp-posts are festooned with colour. | So in large parts of Scotland – including major cities such as Glasgow, where turnout in May hit a dangerously low 32.42% - many residents may be wholly unaware there is an election on; yet in North and South Lanarkshire, Highlands, East Renfrewshire, Shetland, Orkney or the Western Isles, lamp-posts are festooned with colour. |
| On many streets in these areas there will be the fluorescent clamour of competing promises and imprecations to vote. In these areas, at least, elections are difficult to miss. | On many streets in these areas there will be the fluorescent clamour of competing promises and imprecations to vote. In these areas, at least, elections are difficult to miss. |
| Already sympathetic to critics of the ban, the commission has had complaints from candidates. It urges councils, the national Electoral Management Board (EMB) and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla), to reassess their policies: | Already sympathetic to critics of the ban, the commission has had complaints from candidates. It urges councils, the national Electoral Management Board (EMB) and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla), to reassess their policies: |
| In our report on the 2003 Scottish elections, we noted that not all councils allowed election posters to be placed on lampposts. We commented that allowing posters to be displayed helped to create the backdrop of the election and highlighted awareness of the event taking place. | In our report on the 2003 Scottish elections, we noted that not all councils allowed election posters to be placed on lampposts. We commented that allowing posters to be displayed helped to create the backdrop of the election and highlighted awareness of the event taking place. |
| Since 2007, a further third of councils have prohibited this practice so that only 11 councils still allow candidates to put posters on lampposts. We believe that the issue of use of street furniture for political party posters near the date of an election should be reviewed as it may encourage participation at elections. We will seek discussion in Scotland on this matter with councils, Cosla, the parties and the EMB. | Since 2007, a further third of councils have prohibited this practice so that only 11 councils still allow candidates to put posters on lampposts. We believe that the issue of use of street furniture for political party posters near the date of an election should be reviewed as it may encourage participation at elections. We will seek discussion in Scotland on this matter with councils, Cosla, the parties and the EMB. |
| There is no clear consensus on this: complaints about the ban seem based on instinct and rough logic, not clear evidence. No-one has tested this with voters. Even so, the commission's survey on public responses found that more than 40% of Scotland's voters knew little or nothing about the election: | There is no clear consensus on this: complaints about the ban seem based on instinct and rough logic, not clear evidence. No-one has tested this with voters. Even so, the commission's survey on public responses found that more than 40% of Scotland's voters knew little or nothing about the election: |
| Of people surveyed in Scotland, 56% said they knew what the local elections were about, with 12% saying they knew 'a great deal' and 45% saying 'a fair amount'. However, 31% said they knew 'not very much' and 12% said they knew 'nothing at all'. | Of people surveyed in Scotland, 56% said they knew what the local elections were about, with 12% saying they knew 'a great deal' and 45% saying 'a fair amount'. However, 31% said they knew 'not very much' and 12% said they knew 'nothing at all'. |
Even though complaints appear to come from candidates, it is the parties who have decided to ban using lamp-posts in all 21 local authorities where street posters are banned. And not, according to Glasgow council's press office, solely on cost grounds but on aesthetic ones too. | Even though complaints appear to come from candidates, it is the parties who have decided to ban using lamp-posts in all 21 local authorities where street posters are banned. And not, according to Glasgow council's press office, solely on cost grounds but on aesthetic ones too. |
| The council's executive committee agreed to prohibit the use of council property to display election materials back in 2009 – and this included traffic signs, lights and other street furniture. | The council's executive committee agreed to prohibit the use of council property to display election materials back in 2009 – and this included traffic signs, lights and other street furniture. |
| The move had cross-party support, with members supporting the change arguing it was no longer acceptable for political parties to be allowed to carry out what would otherwise by considered fly posting. They also suggested the nature of campaigning had changed – with technology offering more cost-effective and environmentally-friendly ways to promote party messages. | The move had cross-party support, with members supporting the change arguing it was no longer acceptable for political parties to be allowed to carry out what would otherwise by considered fly posting. They also suggested the nature of campaigning had changed – with technology offering more cost-effective and environmentally-friendly ways to promote party messages. |
| This disregards the fact that Glasgow has one of the UK's lowest rates of take-up for broadband. But Fife council too, where turnout hit a healthier 37.92% in May, reports that its very long-standing ban has cross-party support. Linda Bissell, a senior manager in its democratic services division, said: | This disregards the fact that Glasgow has one of the UK's lowest rates of take-up for broadband. But Fife council too, where turnout hit a healthier 37.92% in May, reports that its very long-standing ban has cross-party support. Linda Bissell, a senior manager in its democratic services division, said: |
| We have had a long-standing policy of not allowing election posters on street furniture during past election campaigns and have had no representations from candidates or political parties to change our position. However we welcome any future discussions on the issue with other councils and Cosla. | We have had a long-standing policy of not allowing election posters on street furniture during past election campaigns and have had no representations from candidates or political parties to change our position. However we welcome any future discussions on the issue with other councils and Cosla. |
Willie Sullivan, Scottish director of the Electoral Reform Society, has a more jaundiced theory. He reckons the impact of street placards on voters is probably minor. He remembers putting up street placards himself, and reckons the distaste within parties for putting them up may be due more to the hassle of taking them down: | Willie Sullivan, Scottish director of the Electoral Reform Society, has a more jaundiced theory. He reckons the impact of street placards on voters is probably minor. He remembers putting up street placards himself, and reckons the distaste within parties for putting them up may be due more to the hassle of taking them down: |
| There's a perennial problem with them just getting left up because all the volunteers have gone home, especially if they've lost the election. They can't be bothered any more. | There's a perennial problem with them just getting left up because all the volunteers have gone home, especially if they've lost the election. They can't be bothered any more. |
| Sullivan thinks the problem with voter turnout needs more fundamental reforms: perhaps voting on Saturday's, or overturning the prohibition on campaigning on polling day, to instead turn polling day into a "festival of democracy, so encouraging people to celebrate exercising their democratic right". | Sullivan thinks the problem with voter turnout needs more fundamental reforms: perhaps voting on Saturday's, or overturning the prohibition on campaigning on polling day, to instead turn polling day into a "festival of democracy, so encouraging people to celebrate exercising their democratic right". |
| Some supporters of putting placards up would argue that a good festival needs plenty of bunting and bright posters out on the streets; Edinburgh city council - despite banning election posters - still happily manages to swathe the entire city centre in festival Fringe posters every August. | Some supporters of putting placards up would argue that a good festival needs plenty of bunting and bright posters out on the streets; Edinburgh city council - despite banning election posters - still happily manages to swathe the entire city centre in festival Fringe posters every August. |
| And equally, the issue about election posters applies to every election, including UK general elections, Scottish parliamentary elections and the European ones too. Yet do they too suffer too? Not as much, it seems. For the Westminster and Holyrood polls, turnout is at least 20% greater than it was in May. Perhaps the goal is not just increasing turnout: maybe having busy and colourful streets just makes voting more fun, even for the country's councils. | And equally, the issue about election posters applies to every election, including UK general elections, Scottish parliamentary elections and the European ones too. Yet do they too suffer too? Not as much, it seems. For the Westminster and Holyrood polls, turnout is at least 20% greater than it was in May. Perhaps the goal is not just increasing turnout: maybe having busy and colourful streets just makes voting more fun, even for the country's councils. |
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