Gen/Election vote on a Sunday,plus A/Vote.

[Leekbrookgull]

Does anyone think that holding general elections on a Sunday along with the use of the alternative vote system would make any difference to turn-out ? The use of A/V could well alter the result,however if some people can't be bothered to vote on a Thursday would Sunday voting make any diffrence ?

 

[beorhthelm]

i dont think so. why would it? is there any evidence to suggest countries which change to Sunday voting have better turnout after the switch? there's still the basic requirement to be a) interested, b) bothered and c) take 30min out of the day to go to polling station.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

There's some interesting analysis here:-

How proportional representation would have changed the general election 2010 result | News | guardian.co.uk

 

[clapham_gull]

i dont think so. why would it? is there any evidence to suggest countries which change to Sunday voting have better turnout after the switch? there's still the basic requirement to be a) interested, b) bothered and c) take 30min out of the day to go to polling station.

It would be a much better idea to do it on a day when most people aren't working.

Or do it over a couple of days.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Whichever system is used, the outcome this time would have been a government coalition decided by Nick Clegg.

FPTP is the only system that could possibly prevent a repeat of that in the future.

Any system other that FPTP would make both a LibDem-Tory alliance or a LibDem-Labour alliance viable in terms of parliamentary numbers.

 

[keaton]

There's some interesting analysis here:-

How proportional representation would have changed the general election 2010 result | News | guardian.co.uk

That does make the massive supposition that people would have voted the same way if we had PR

 

[Lord Bracknell]

That does make the massive supposition that people would have voted the same way if we had PR

... and that the same party groupings would have stood.

One of the things about PR and AV, once the new system has bedded in, is that it encourages the fragmentation of the larger parties. We'd have the choice of:-

Hardline anti-European, pro-business Tories
"I love the NHS", cuddly, compassionate Tories
New Labour
Old Labour
Lib Dems who mostly don't like the Tories
Lib Dems who mostly don't like Labour
And then all of the other parties, some of them with a chance of winning a few seats

 

[strings]

Before we sort out the voting system we need to sort of the administration of the voting stations. Is is farcical that not everybody got to vote, in spite of some people turning up over an hour before ballots closed. It is also shocking that some polling stations run out of ballot papers.

If such occurances happened in a Middle Eastern election we might just believe it, but such amateurish election practice has no place in any developed democracy.

The elections at my University Students' Union were better organised, and they were rubbish!

With regards to AV - Strings says yes

 

[Simster]

That does make the massive supposition that people would have voted the same way if we had PR

Quite.

This country needs to get used to coalition governments, IMO. It is ridiculous that governments have been formed for decades with a minority share of the popular vote. I know the argument for strong government, but the simple fact is that under FPTP, it's impossible for smaller parties to make any headway whatsoever, meaning that ultimately the country is at the mercy of internal politics of the big parties.

 

[ROSM]

I've always had a liking for the AV system where there are true multiple parties to vote for so that the winner gets 50%. Not so happy with STV and could be persuaded on AV+ if there was some clarity on over what regions the + members would be allocated (e.g. 500 consituentcies with an additional 2 members per every 8 seats meaning that you would have members for lewes, kemptown, pavillion, hove, east worthing, west worthing, mid sussex, wealden plus 2 additional ones)

Until recently, we had a 2.5 party system but with the UKIP, Greens etc there are now more national parties. As a former member of the SDP myself, there is a lot to look back on with a mixture of pride and amusement (would New Labour have existed? Would there be a strong 3rd party in this country just a generation after the 74 and 79 meltdowns?)

I dont have an issue per se with a coalition government but to do so will need a very strong constitution in place so that we dont get the ill informed twaddle from the press that we've had over the last week ('squatter in downing street', 'voters urge parties to get own with it') plus the slightly worrying proposals for fixed term parliaments and needing 55% of a no confidence vote for dissolution.

 

[drew]

i dont think so. why would it? is there any evidence to suggest countries which change to Sunday voting have better turnout after the switch? there's still the basic requirement to be a) interested, b) bothered and c) take 30min out of the day to go to polling station.

30minutes! What about those in rural areas that have to travel further to their polling stations, or those that turn up to find no ballot papers, or those that queue for hours to be turned away.

Saturday voting would be better because more people are off work and also the markets would have over a day to reflect on whatever new administration wins so there won't always be a knee jerk reaction. Obviously in the case of a hung parliament then it will still depend on the politicians to get their arses into gear to form a coalition.

Whichever system is used, the outcome this time would have been a government coalition decided by Nick Clegg.

FPTP is the only system that could possibly prevent a repeat of that in the future.

Any system other that FPTP would make both a LibDem-Tory alliance or a LibDem-Labour alliance viable in terms of parliamentary numbers.

Wrong. There would be less tactical voting and maybe over a period of time as people got used to the system, it may well revert back to a two party system.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Wrong. There would be less tactical voting and maybe over a period of time as people got used to the system, it may well revert back to a two party system.

The increasing Americanisation of the UK might pull us towards a two party system (which the Murdoch press understands), but I'm convinced myself that there is an increasing tendency towards political fragmentation that is pulling in the opposite direction. Public backing for some sort of PR (and coalition government) seems to support this.

 

[drew]

The other thing to remember is that they are not introducing AV STV or PR, they are merely suggesting a referendum on it. We might still end up with FPTP as this is what the tories claim they support.

 

[Acker79]

Would church goers or particularly religious people want the vote to occur on the sabbath?

My local polling station is the church hall, the polling station would have to be moved and might not be as easy for me (or other people) to get to.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The British people need to realise they can't have it both ways.

If they want a clear majority then it looks as though Labout and the Lib Dems will need to form a "Democrats" party to oppose the Tories in a US-style FPTP face-off.

OR, if they want the choice of more than 2 parties then they have to get their minds round coalition government.

Last night's Question Time was an embarrassment. The Lib Dems were getting harangued by a marriage made in hell Asian Left-Winger from the New Stateman and a Nazi Columnist from the Daily Mail, accsuing Nick Clegg of betrayal and worse. They seemed to be carrying half the audience with them.

Both Labour and Tory underestimate the robustness of the Lib Dem support at their peril.

 

[ROSM]

Last night's Question Time was an embarrassment. The Lib Dems were getting harangued by a marriage made in hell Asian Left-Winger from the New Stateman and a Nazi Columnist from the Daily Mail, accsuing Nick Clegg of betrayal and worse. They seemed to be carrying half the audience with them.

Both Labour and Tory underestimate the robustness of the Lib Dem support at their peril.

I thought Falconer and Heseltine came across well (as did Hughes).

 

[Notters]

I don't really see what's wrong with having it on a thursday, you have all day and it's VERY easy to get a postal vote.

 

[backson]

There's some interesting analysis here:-

How proportional representation would have changed the general election 2010 result | News | guardian.co.uk

Interesting, but surely there can be no earthly way of knowing what people's second vote would have been for.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Would church goers or particularly religious people want the vote to occur on the sabbath?

My local polling station is the church hall, the polling station would have to be moved and might not be as easy for me (or other people) to get to.

On the other hand, they wouldn't have to close lots of schools if it was on a Sunday. Swings & roundabouts. I bet there are more schools used as polling stations than town halls.

Anyway, why can't we have T'internet voting - if there's no ID check presently at the booths, I can't see that security can be much worse on the world wideweb-i-mi-jig

 

[Pavilionaire]

I thought Falconer and Heseltine came across well (as did Hughes).

I agree but the other two nutters reduced what is normally a civilised, intelligent television programme into a divisive tribal rant.

It's not coincidence the 2 odious members of the panel were both political journalists - The New Statesman and the Daily Mail. I think the QT booker needs to rethink the balance of the panel.

Hughes came across as calm - a lesser man would have lost it with the wankers across the table. Heseltine the voice of reason.