Forum Brief: Election law

The Electoral Commission has unveiled its review of election law, calling for a fundamental review of voter registration.

"Against a background of changes in voting methods, particularly the extension of postal voting and the possibility in the future of internet and other electronic forms of voting, we're looking at two broad areas," Commission chairman Sam Younger said.

"One relates to issues of security and integrity of the system, and the other relates to making sure you appropriately can encourage participation."

Forum Response: Voice UK

Kathryn Stone, director of Voice UK, told ePolitix.com: "Voice UK welcomes reform of the electoral system. We hope that this reform will consider the needs of people with learning difficulties and how they can be better enabled to vote."

Forum Response: CARE

A spokeswoman for CARE told ePolitix.com: "There is without doubt a crisis of hope in politics and politicians today. Use of either word normally elicits a disinterested silence or a wave of negative comments.

"In February 2002, research conducted by the BBC found that nearly 40 per cent of people said they thought politicians were either 'crooks', 'liars', 'out for themselves' or that they 'didn't care about ordinary people'. Only journalists and estate agents are less popular.

"In the local elections in May, steps were taken to encourage voting. 1.5 million people were given the choice of e-voting, the opportunity to vote on the internet, by text messaging and interactive TV. Thirty councils held all postal ballots. Voter turnout did increase as a result.

"Ultimately, new ways of voting will not deal with the underlying reasons for voter apathy. If people can chose any one of 6800 coffee combinations when they visit Starbucks every day, they are unlikely to be unsatisfied with A or B or C in general elections twice a decade.

"The blurring of the political landscape, the perceived corruption in politics, economic prosperity and structural powerlessness are all important factors explaining low voter turnout.

"It is wrong to interpret disillusionment with party politics as straightforward apathy. In September 2002, 40,000 people marched though London to protest about the government's treatment of rural communities; in February 2003, two million people protested about the prospect of war with Iraq. Membership of political parties may have been in the decline for decades, but single-issue politics continues to flourish.

"It is right to explore new systems for voting and the security issues associated with these, but it is even more important for politicians and the public to reconnect. The public and the media, as well as politicians, all have an important part to play in this."

Forum Response: Economic and Social Research Council

Dr Stephen Ward, a researcher commissioned by the ESRC to analyse British political participation online, told ePolitix.com: "Utilising online opportunities may be the key to engaging groups who are presently disinclined to participate in political debate and activity.

"The 18 to 24 age group are commonly identified as weak voters. Our survey found that only 10 per cent engaged in 'real world' politics - but a significant 30 per cent have been politically active online.

"The online world is offering a new space for political engagement, but this potential is going untapped by political organisations."