The New Dark Age

24 August 2012

In November voters across England and Wales go to the polls to elect new Police and Crime Commissioners. But if this is news to you it’s not your fault.

The Home Office seems to be conducting an experiment in how to drive voter turnout into the ground.

We’ve crunched the numbers – we’re looking at the lowest voter turnout in British history – at potentially 18.5% [1] [2].

So write to Home Secretary Theresa May today and tell her that this is unacceptable.

 From the very beginning, these elections have been dogged by controversy and now the Government is shirking its responsibility to provide voters with even the most basic information that the elections are taking place.

They said electing Police and Crime Commissioners was meant to give the public a real say in local policing – an aim which will be clearly undermined by a rock bottom turnout.

Send a message to the politicians pulling the strings now.

The Government has not done its homework. They wanted elected Police Commissioners. If they’re going to do it, do it right.

Best,

Katie Ghose
Chief Executive
Electoral Reform Society

[1] See The Daily Telegraph, Turnout of 18% predicted for police commissioner election ‘shambles’  The Guardian Police commissioner polls could have ‘record low turnout’ 
[2] See the Society Blog – How not to run an election.