Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Electoral Commission is a non-ministerial government department with powers in the United Kingdom, which was created by an Act of Parliament, the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (2000 c. 41). In 2002 the Boundary Committee for England became a statutory committee of the commission.
The commission is responsible for:
- advising the government on the reform of electoral law
- working with the Boundary Committee in determining the boundaries of Council Wards and Divisions, in accordance with statutory guidelines
- deciding the procedures for all referenda held in the UK
- ensuring that all national and local elections are fully free and fair
- regulating political parties, including maintaining a register of political parties for the United Kingdom, and the funding of political campaigns
- encouraging participation in the democratic process
The commissioners are:
- Sam Younger - Chairman
- Sir Neil McIntosh CBE
- Pamela Gordon
- Glyn Mathias
- Karamjit Singh CBE
Peter Wardle is the Chief Executive
[edit] 2006 electoral trials
At the May 2006 local elections, 15 pilot schemes took place in 21 local authority areas across England:
Brent; Brentwood; Broxbourne; Gateshead, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, South Tyneside and Sunderland; Harrow; Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens and Sefton; Lewisham; Newham; Peterborough; Rushmoor; Shrewsbury and Atcham; Stevenage; Stratford-on-Avon; Swindon; and Westminster
Schemes included:
- Voting at supermarkets
- Postal vote signature checking
- Providing signatures in polling stations
- Early voting
- Electronic counting
