Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ?

lambethlife Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 01:49:38 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

According to today's Independent the next general election could take place on 11 June 2009



See article

Andrew Grice reports speculation at the Spring Conference  that the next election will take place the same day as the Euro elections in June 2009 (expected to be 11 June).

 
Brown is also reported to be considering having the election on a Sunday to drive up turnout (in which case it would be on 14 June). This would be interesting - what do others think about the possibility?

My experience (probably like most Labour activists) is that on a normal Thursday election day a good number of the people I go to call on to get out our vote are not at home so I guess it would be better from that point of view but might people resent it disrupting their Sunday?

Also it would be beneficial for the party as all members and supporters who are in jobs such as teaching would be able to be more involved. And it would be beneficial as the schools would not have to close to serve as polling stations.

One thing that does confuse me about the article is that Grice states that legislation would be required to hold an election on a Sunday - I thought the point about the British system was that it was based on conventions and there are no set election days, does anyone know why we would need legislation?



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Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? | 17 comments (17 topical)

Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#1)

by orzr on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 03:14:05 PM GMT

That a general election is decided over a year in advance seems a little unlikely, to say the least. Even if it was, so many things could change the date. Surely you haven't forgotten what happened last autumn.


What would Gordon have to gain by even giving a moment's thought to this now?


Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#2)

by lastword on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 03:29:34 PM GMT

Yes to Sundays!  Other countries in Europe manage to hold elections on Sundays with the result of higher turnout and higher public engagement.  Germany is no less "Christian" than the UK for doing so .


[ Parent ]

Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#14)

by pregethwr on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 11:54:17 AM GMT

What % of the population goes on holiday/away from their main residence on the average weekend in June?


[ Parent ]

Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#3)

by rwendland on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 04:31:46 PM GMT

I like the idea of a Sunday or Saturday vote to increase turnout. Anyone with a religious objection could be given a postal vote. Better for those who unexpectantly have to work away from home midweek, as has happened for me.


Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#4)

by alexhilton on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 05:12:07 PM GMT

Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays are considered non-working days and while there is no rule saying an election cannot be held on a non-working day, a lot of the ancillary arrangements, postal vote deadlines etc, are framed in terms of non-working days. A small piece of regulation would tidy things up and enable an election to be held at a weekend without threat of the date being subjected to judicial review.


Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#5)

by redandready on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 06:55:41 PM GMT

I don't have a problem with polling day being held on a Sunday, but to hold a general election on the same day as the Euro elections would be badly advised.  It would mean that the general election campaign would  be unduly dominated by Europe as an issue, when surely, more bread and butter issues should dominate.  Which Party is best able to deliver a stable economy, secure our borders and improve health and education?

If it were to be a Sunday, and if it needs to be combined with other elections, I would think that the 2009 local elections would better fit the bill.  And no, I don't think combining all three is a good idea either!  Three different voting systems?  Crikey, after what happened in Scotland last year, we need to give it a rest.


Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#6)

by NorthernMonkey on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 07:34:58 PM GMT

I think that polling day should be kept on a Thursday since that's the traditional way of doing things, but I don't see why Election Day cannot be a national holiday since it is of high importance. Most schools are closed anyway on that day.

And I disagree with redandready above - I think it should be held on the same day as the EU Parliament elections. It won't be the case that Europe dominates the general election - it will be the other way around in that nobody will care about the EU elections and focus will be on the general election. Since people generally vote for the same party across elections on the same day, Labour will get a big increase in MEP's since in 2004 we did so badly.


Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#7)

by lastword on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 08:10:01 PM GMT

"since that's the traditional way of doing things"

What party do you belong to!?!!?! 


[ Parent ]

Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#10)

by NorthernMonkey on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 09:07:46 PM GMT

There are some traditions worth keeping!


[ Parent ]

Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#13)

by repub on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 07:30:56 AM GMT

Why is holding elections on a Thursday so worth keeping though?

Do you just like them being on a Thursday? Or do you not agree with the view that it would increase turnout?

I definitely think it would boost the number of Labour voters turning out.


[ Parent ]

Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#16)

by NorthernMonkey on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 08:19:37 PM GMT

I just think that traditions which don't cause any harm are worth keeping.


[ Parent ]

Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#8)

by wgm on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 09:01:15 PM GMT

Yes to Sunday voting, schools should not be disrupted for elections and the additional staff costs are worth it. Of course new postal voting verification rules mean that most counts will now be held on the day after polling, so Monday would be the day the result is known.

A national holiday? The idea you can just call a holiday with three or four weeks notice is unrealistic.

If elections can be combined, great, it will mean a few more council/European seats, but the idea this is all fixed a year in advance is nonsense.


[ Parent ]

Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#9)

by NorthernMonkey on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 09:06:16 PM GMT

If we had fixed-term Parliaments and all of the elections (national and local) were held on the first Thursday in May of each year, that's it's quite easy to see how a national holiday could be fixed on that date.

I'm not convinced that turnouts would increase if it was held on a Sunday. Usually most people who vote go and do it after work. Since most don't work on Sundays I think there'll be a tendency to slob about and do nothing (as Sundays usually are lazy days) or families will go out with the kids to the cinema, shopping etc. in which case no parents will want to drag their noisy, impatient kids to the polling station.


[ Parent ]

Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#11)

by lastword on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 10:12:11 PM GMT

Agree there are some traditions worth keeping.  I don't see the big deal about Thursdays for election day though...

 
I think it would be good for civic duty if parents could
take their kids along with them to vote.  It might get them in the habit by the time they themselves are 18. 

It would be good for the party to some research into how Sunday voting works in other countries.... 

 


[ Parent ]

Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#12)

by RedRooster on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 11:54:29 PM GMT

Am I the only one that thinks the idea of running our election timetable to fit in with the EUROPEAN ELECTIONS is completely ridiculous?  Just go to 2010 and fight on a record of substance- it worked well enough for Major in '92.


Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#15)

by swatantra on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 01:14:09 PM GMT

It really depends on the outcome of the London Mayor, if Ken gets back in, then I suspect Brown could go as early as October 2008. He would not be accused of  bottling it, still a charge rattling him. June 2009 would obviously run up against the Euros. But he could go in May 2009 and play down or give up completely on the Euro elections altogether in June 2009. Or he could be like Major struggling on to the bitter end with defeat staring him in the face. I'd prefer fixed term parliaments too, to take out all this ridiculous speculation.


Re: Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? (#17)

by jkitleft on Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 10:15:25 PM GMT

Isn't the fact we're debating trivial issues of when we will hold an election, or if a counciller defects, or when meetings are held etc. an insight into why we're lagging in opinion polls. Because we're not discussing policies, and radical policies at that? Aren't we missing an oppertunity to trump the Tories in an election, by lacking substance?


Next General Election: 11 or 14 June 2009 ? | 17 comments (17 topical)