National Assembly for Wales

Local Government and Public Services Committee

Responses by Bagilllt Community Council to National Assembly for Wales

Discussion Document on Electoral Arrangements in Wales

Question 1

Although registration is compulsory in Wales, the penalties for non registration are hardly ever used. Should penalties be used and would this encourage more people to register?

Response

In order to pursue a prosecution for non registration an Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) would need to employ additional canvassers to provide an audit trail for the delivery and collection of forms rather than relying on the postal system. An occasional use of a penalty with appropriate publicity may encourage others to register but experience shows that the public is often more concerned about being identified for financial purposes rather than having the opportunity to vote.

Question 2

What methods could be used to ensure that more people living with their parents, who have moved recently or are living in rented accommodation, register?

Response

If there was a financial incentive (eg Council tax reduction) it could encourage parents to inform the local authority, but this would be complicated if moving to other areas. The onus should be on those moving out and if data protection could be overcome the use of other Council sources would assist.

Question 3

Will individual registration with personal identification help to increase registration?

Will it help to make voting more secure if the personal identification has to be produced before you can vote?

Responses

Individual registration is likely to reduce registration based on the Northern Ireland experience and make the process more complicated and costly for each ERO.

Yes it must be a deterrent to personating; however it will slow the voting process in the station and would not assist with postal voting.

Question 4

Should there be some form of automatic registration as in other countries?

Response

There is a need to keep the link between electoral registration and elections at the local government level due to the way existing computer systems are linked to use the information provided which may not be possible with an automatic system, presumably run on national or regional lines.

Question 5

What methods could be used to encourage more Black and Ethnic Minority people to register?

Response

This issue is not one which currently affects the area of the Council or the County area within which it is situated and therefore there is little experience of the problem to enable a comment.

Question 6

Would an all postal vote be workable in Wales? Please give your reasons for your views.

Response

Wales unfortunately has had little opportunity to test this system unlike many areas in England. The one piece mailer and the advent of printers available to undertake all or most of the processes of despatching the votes has reduced the burden on the Returning Officer (RO) and his staff, but there is need to overcome voter and political party suspicions about the soundness of the process if polling stations are to be dispensed with. An all postal voting process also places a great deal of responsibility on Royal Mail and there would need to be confidence that they could cope with the load, hence there should be a significant Welsh pilot undertaken before a decision was taken.

Question 7

What forms of electronic voting (e.g. internet, text, at polling stations) could be used in Wales?

What could be the benefits/problems of using the methods you have suggested?

Response

If electronic voting was permitted a decision would need to be made if it was to be in addition to present polling station and postal or instead. If instead there would need to be electronic voting in polling stations as not everyone has there own PC. Due to the capital cost there would be a tendency to reduce the number of polling stations thereby likely reducing voter turnout. There is also the issue of voting security to be overcome when using a PC and even more so if texting were to be permitted, to ensure issues such as voting twice are prevented. Electronic voting in stations in particular would ease the subsequent count burden for the RO.

Question 8

Could alternative venues be used as polling stations (e.g. supermarkets, post office etc)?

Response

Yes, but only if there was sufficient space to provide the facility and preserve the secrecy and in conjunction with electronic voting as people visiting could be from different wards, electoral divisions or constituencies and there is a need to ensure no double voting and that those recorded are directed to the right RO.

Question 9

Why do so few young people in Wales vote? Please give examples you have come across (leaving out any personal details)

Response

One possible cause could be due to the lower registration of younger people. There may also be a feeling that the "political process" does not concern them and this is perhaps something which can only be addressed by politicians rather than just looking at the voting processes.

Question 10

Are young people given enough information in schools to make an informed decision about how they are going to vote?

Response

The fact that there are unitary Councils in Wales should make it easier for a link between the RO and the LEA/Schools to at least ensure they register and continue to do so if going away to university, as well as explaining what goes on in a polling station or how to use a postal vote. The use of electronic means of voting in the future may give younger voters more incentive to vote.

Question 11

Should party politics be taught in schools? If so how? If not why not?

Response

Whilst there should be no harm in advising particularly sixth formers of the fact there are political parties (it is known that some schools do have mock elections with pupils representing different parties particularly at a major election time) the need to be impartial is paramount or at least ensure all parties are covered. The latter point would make it difficult for other than mainstream parties, as only they would probably have the resources to be able to assist schools.

Question 12

Should political parties be involved in informing young people about politics in schools and other youth groups?

Response

It is known that some parties do have "young" sections for people to join. It should be a matter for School Heads or Youth Leaders to decide whether to invite them in and attendance would perhaps be a an individual choice of whether to attend. Please also refer to the answer to Q 11.

Question 13

Are there examples of good practice in informing young people about politics in your area? Please tell us about them leaving out personal details).

Response

This is a matter for the RO to answer.

Question 14

Is there enough provision for people with disabilities to help with the registration process? If not, what practical things could be done?

Response

Whilst this really is a practical issue to be addressed by the ERO the need to accommodate specified information in a bi-lingual format Form A in Wales does make it difficult in relation to print size.

Question 15

Is there enough provision for people with disabilities to help with voting? If not, what practical things could be done?

Response

In some areas there is often no alternative venue for a polling station which may well not be in control of the local authority. In recent years there has been additional provision of disabled polling booths, a device for voting for those who are blind or with impaired vision and greater emphasise in Polling Staff training concerning the location of booths and signs and the need for large print copies of the ballot paper. However this is likely to vary between areas. Specific matters are a matter for the RO to comment upon.

Question 16

Should there be statutory standards for the accessibility of registration and voting material and polling stations?

Response

On the face of it there maybe merit in such a suggestion, but before it could be implemented there would be a need to ensure that the ERO and RO has adequate funding to meet the needs of their area.

Question 17

What are your views on the use of mobile ballot boxes for people who have difficulty getting to polling stations?

Response

If such a provision were to be available it would need to be a matter for the RO to determine how it should be undertaken (presumably over a period prior to polling day) and the resources that would be required, whilst being able to satisfy candidates and agents as to the secrecy aspect of the poll.

Question 18

Should polling station managers be required to produce a report similar to that in the Nederlands?

Response

The Presiding Officer already has to complete a number of returns to satisfy the requirements of the election process and the RO. A formal report could be implemented provided it is actually going to be used for future reference and not merely stored with the post election papers until disposed of or only used in the event of an election petition.

Question 19

What are your views on the availability of help and advice available bilingually at elections in Wales?

Response

The question is better understood when comparing different areas of Wales some of which have more day to day use of the Welsh language and it would therefore be unreasonable to expect the same everywhere. Bagillt is an area which has infrequent use of the Welsh language as indeed does most of Flintshire which is responsible for the registration and voting in the area. The ERO/RO has limited access to Welsh speakers regularly involved in the processes but has facilities to call on such persons for assistance at an election or canvass time should the need arise, either centrally or at a polling station.

Question 20

What could be done in terms of documents and advice to encourage more BME people to register and vote?

Response

This is a question to be addressed by the ERO/RO and possibly political parties.

Question 21

Do you consider the forms and information given about registration and voting to be straightforward and easily understandable?

Response

To certain members of the public any official form can be daunting but notwithstanding the need to comply with certain statutory provisions steps have been taken locally by the ERO/RO to have some at least with the seal of approval for both English and Welsh plain speaking.