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Police commissioner election turnout casts doubt on legitimacy of poll Police commissioner election turnout casts doubt on legitimacy of poll
(about 2 hours later)
The Conservative candidate Angus Macpherson has been elected the first police and crime commissioner for Wiltshire on a turnout of just 15.8%, raising fears of a record low turnout in a national election, which may cast doubt on the legitimacy of the new breed of politicians responsible for overseeing police chief constables across England and Wales. The Conservative candidate Angus Macpherson has been elected the first police and crime commissioner for Wiltshire on a turnout of just 15.8%, amid predictions from an elections expert that the poll across 41 police areas in England and Wales could yield "the worst turnout for any nationwide set of elections ever".
In the second round of voting, Macpherson, a magistrate, won 35,319 votes ahead of Labour's Clare Moody, who obtained 21,157 votes. Labour called the elections a "shambles", but Damian Green, the Conservative police minister, sought to quell doubts about the legitimacy of the new politicians responsible for overseeing police chief constables across England and Wales. As early results confirmed fears of dismal turnouts, Green insisted the electorate was still warming to the new role and that those in post would have a mandate.
While overall turnout in the county was 15.8%, it was as low as 10.95% in Trowbridge and 10.41% in Devizes, according to unofficial counting. Green made his comments as Macpherson, a magistrate, became the first commissioner to be elected after winning by 35,319 votes, ahead of Labour's Clare Moody, who obtained 21,157 votes. While overall turnout in the county was 15.8%, it was as low as 10.95% in Trowbridge and 10.41% in Devizes, according to unofficial counting.
Macpherson told BBC Breakfast: "It would have been better that more people voted. There are several reasons why people didn't come out to vote – they didn't understand what the job is. They didn't know who the candidates were and couldn't make a judgment. Professor John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, said: "It looks pretty likely that certainly we're going below 20%, that this will be the worst turnout for any nationwide set of election ever, and therefore will raise questions, I think, about whether this whole exercise was worth it in the first place.
"And then, depressingly, there were a lot of people while we were out on the street saying: 'I don't (vote) for anything'." "The fundamental question is this: who is against the police, and who is in favour of crime? In other words, what really are the significant choices one could put before the electorate about how the job of police and crime commissioner should be done. And, unless there are clear choices to put before the electorate, it is very difficult to persuade voters that [it is worth voting]."
Total turnout in the election for the Greater Manchester police and crime commissioner was confirmed overnight at 13.5%, though the result has yet to be announced. Wiltshire council confirmed that 2,683 ballot papers in the county's race were spoilt – just over 3% of the votes cast – in an election fought under the supplementary vote system.
Voter apathy was also evident in two of three parliamentary byelection results announced – both of which were held by Labour. He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that while the two-vote system tended to result in more invalid votes than the first-past-the-post system, the level of spoilt papers "does raise eyebrows".
Lucy Powell held Manchester Central for the party with 11,507 votes on a turnout of 18.16%, below the previous record low for a parliamentary byelection of 19.9% in 1999 in Leeds Central. Conservative candidate Matthew Sephton lost his deposit after securing just 754 votes, less than 5% of the total turnout. The swing away from the Liberal Democrats was 16.77%. "It raises this question whether some people didn't simply fail to cast a vote because they were confused by the system, but maybe some people amongst that miniscule 15.8% who turned out actually went to the polling station and then said: 'Hang on, let's spoil that ballot paper to declare we don't think the whole thing isn't a terribly good idea'."
Stephen Doughty retained Labour's Cardiff South and Penarth constituency seat after winning almost half of the votes cast on a turnout of 25.65%, with a swing from the Conservatives to Labour of 8.41%. The Electoral Reform Society had predicted a turnout of 18.5%, which would be below the previous record low in a national poll in peacetime of 23% in the 1999 European parliament elections. But Curtice said the overall figure could be even lower.
The result of the Corby and East Northamptonshire byelection, triggered by the decision of Tory MP Louise Mensch to quit to spend more time with her family, is expected at around lunchtime on Friday and will be anxiously awaited by the prime minister, David Cameron, and the Labour leader, Ed Miliband. In Greater Manchester, turnout was just 13.5%, even though a byelection for Manchester Central – retained by Labour – was held the same day. The turnout in Humberside, where Lord Prescott's candidacy raised the profile of the election, was 19.48%, East Riding of Yorkshire council confirmed. The turnout of 19.5% in the Avon and Somerset police election was boosted by a 27.92% turnout in Bristol's first direct election for mayor.
The seat, held by Labour until the last election when it was taken by the Conservatives on a slim majority of just under 2,000, is tipped to return to Labour hands. Macpherson told BBC Breakfast that people didn't vote because "they didn't understand what the job is, they didn't know who the candidates were and couldn't make a judgment".
Asked whether the low turnout undermined his mandate, Macpherson told Today: "Of all those that voted, more liked my skill-set than the others'. I think it is not so much a mandate, it is a large job interview. Of course it would be much better if more people had gone out to vote. It is incumbent on all the PCCs, as we take office, to develop this job and let people know what it is."
Voter apathy was also evident in two of three parliamentary byelection results announced.
In other election results to emerge so far:
• Lucy Powell held Manchester Central for Labour with 11,507 votes on a turnout of 18.16%, below the previous record low for a parliamentary byelection of 19.9% in 1999 in Leeds Central. The Conservative candidate Matthew Sephton lost his deposit after securing just 754 votes, less than 5% of the total turnout. The swing away from the Liberal Democrats was 16.77%.
• Stephen Doughty retained Labour's Cardiff South and Penarth constituency seat after winning almost half of the votes cast on a turnout of 25.65%, with a swing from the Conservatives to Labour of 8.41%.
• The BBC reported that turnout in the Corby byelection, triggered by the decision of Tory MP Louise Mensch to quit to spend more time with her family, was far higher, with 35,733 votes cast – just under 45%. The result is expected at around lunchtime on Friday and will be anxiously awaited by the prime minister, David Cameron, and the Labour leader, Ed Miliband.
• While Bristol was waiting the result of its first mayoral election, voters in Hartlepool backed the scrapping of the elected mayoral system there. The independent mayor, Stuart Drummond, has held the post since it was established in 2002 and will see out his third term, which ends in May. The electorate backed a switch to a council committee system on a turnout of 18% in a referendum triggered by a motion tabled by the Labour group over the summer.
The bulk of the election results in the 41 constabulary areas outside London will emerge on Friday afternoon.The bulk of the election results in the 41 constabulary areas outside London will emerge on Friday afternoon.
The Electoral Reform Society has predicted a turnout of 18.5%, which would be below the previous record low in a national poll in peacetime of 23% in the 1999 European parliament elections. In local elections, turnout fell in 1998 to 25.2% in metropolitan councils. Overall, turnout was 28% in England in 1998, but that included London, which has much higher local election turnouts.
The turnout in Humberside, where Lord Prescott's name on the ballot paper raised the profile of the election, was 19.48%, East Riding of Yorkshire Council confirmed. The turnout of 19.5% in the Avon and Somerset police election was boosted by a 27.92% turnout in Bristol's first direct election for mayor.
It is generally thought that elections held in November, as opposed to the spring, reduce turnouts by up to 6%.
The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the elections for the new commissioners had descended into a "shambles", with many voters taking to Twitter to describe the low turnout at their polling stations.The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the elections for the new commissioners had descended into a "shambles", with many voters taking to Twitter to describe the low turnout at their polling stations.
She blamed the lack of information made available about the elections, which will install the first wave of elected individuals to control police budgets, set priorities and have the power to hire and fire chief constables.She blamed the lack of information made available about the elections, which will install the first wave of elected individuals to control police budgets, set priorities and have the power to hire and fire chief constables.
Cooper said: "We warned the government repeatedly that they had the wrong approach and that turnout would be low. Theresa May and David Cameron didn't listen and it is shocking that they have spent £100m on these elections rather than on 3,000 police constables instead.Cooper said: "We warned the government repeatedly that they had the wrong approach and that turnout would be low. Theresa May and David Cameron didn't listen and it is shocking that they have spent £100m on these elections rather than on 3,000 police constables instead.
"Time and again on the doorstep people told us either they didn't have enough information, didn't know the elections were happening, didn't support them or didn't want to go out in the dark to vote.""Time and again on the doorstep people told us either they didn't have enough information, didn't know the elections were happening, didn't support them or didn't want to go out in the dark to vote."
The Electoral Reform Society's chief executive, Katie Ghose, said the election has been "a comedy of errors from start to finish".
"The Home Office has operated under the assumption that 'if you build it they will come'. Democracy just doesn't work that way. There have been avoidable errors at every step, and those responsible should be held to account."
While Bristol was waiting the result of its first mayoral election, voters in Hartlepool have backed the scrapping of the elected mayoral system there.
The independent mayor, Stuart Drummond, has held the post since it was established in 2002 and will see out his third term, which ends in May. The electorate backed a switch to a council committee system on a turnout of 18% in a referendum triggered by a motion tabled by the Labour group over the summer.