Weekend Voting?

oratorhunt Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 02:40:35 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

So Michael Wills has launched a consultation into the possibility of shifting the day of elections from a Thursday to the weekend, in the latest wheeze to get more people to turnout at the polls. 




Do we really not vote because we work so hard on a Thursday?  Or because we dont' believe it will make a difference?  The government hopes we might be more inclicned to cast a vote if we could do it as part of a leisurely Sunday stroll?  But would there be any point when all the main parties sound increasingly the same?
Simply shifting the days won't address the fundamental problem.  Only by breaking the strangehold of swing voters in marginal seats, and the strategy of traingulation that has grown up around it, will people feel motivated again to feel that their vote really counts.  And in any case what about the poor polling station staff who will have to work on a Sunday?  Or relgious people who want to obey the sabbath?

Sorry chaps.  Nice try, but it's back to the drawing board I'm afraid.  How about digging up your own "Review of Voting Systems" which told you that turnouts were on average 5-10% higher in comparable European countries with PR systems?   

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Weekend Voting? | 5 comments (5 topical)

Re: Weekend Voting? (#1)

by doktorbuk on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 09:10:15 PM GMT

It would be a wheeze to those in the Western Isles (and elsewhere with strong religious opinions) who would not vote nor count on a Sunday =)

In all seriousness, any talk about improving turnout must be two-pronged; work on acting like statesmen, not politicans; and helping people voting by making the results proportional to the intention, not just the numbers. It is clearer by each passing month that party loyalties are less strong than ever, and yet in the mother of all parliaments, the strict sticking to FPTP remains.  It is not about short-term panic about losing power, it should be about long-term consensus building and comprimise.

Why did Labour lose a few seats on Glasgow Council when it was elected "all out" using STV? Because whilst Labour are still clearly very popular and won the vast majority of seats, STY (flawed though it is) allows the other shades of opinion to come through. This may mean BNP, alas, but it may mean just as well Communists! The UK has never been, or had, a one-party state, so why be surprised when minor parties do well under proportional voting systems?

FPTP apologists say the link between constituency and elected member is paramount. I agree, to a point. In 3-member district council wards, there is no absolute clear link between Cllr and member (in that some are massive in size, with councillors sometimes focussing on just one part therein)

Those of us with County Council wards laugh at this idea of "link", because the CC divisions can be so large as to completely disconnect member from representing individual communities. Indeed it would be better for CC elections to be run as all-district PR elections, the results would be far fairer and indicitive of intent were they done so.

Fairer voting systems should be about substance. Weekend voting is a gimmick.


Re: Weekend Voting? (#2)

by NorthernMonkey on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 10:17:18 PM GMT

I'd prefer it to stay on Thursdays. It would be nice if Election Day was a bank holiday as well.


Re: Weekend Voting? (#3)

by GuardianReader on Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 10:23:20 PM GMT

Great idea. You may not get a bigger turnout, but it would probably increase the vote for the incumbent government from people grateful for the day off. Maybe we should try it at the next election. It might give us enough votes to stay in power.

Some leaders are born women
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Re: Weekend Voting? (#4)

by alexhilton on Thu Jun 26, 2008 at 11:52:16 AM GMT

There has been some discussion of the possibility of having a two-day poll - saturday AND sunday

But this would only be possible if it were legal to poll on a sunday. perhaps that is what they're up to?


Re: Weekend Voting? (#5)

by oratorhunt on Thu Jun 26, 2008 at 12:24:45 PM GMT

I think that's the only way you could do it, or you'd offend either the orthodox Jewish/Seventh Day Adventists, or the strict Christians. 

I'm not convinced in any case- people often go away for the weekend, or spend it with family.


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Weekend Voting? | 5 comments (5 topical)