- Electoral Commission to be made more accountable to
Parliament
- Move comes in response to Pickles review into electoral fraud
- Consultation on the draft guidance opens today
Today (22 August 2022) the Department for Levelling Up has opened
the consultation on new
guidance to improve the accountability of the Electoral
Commission to UK Parliament. This guidance addresses the concern
raised in Lord Eric Pickles’ independent review into electoral
fraud, that the current system of oversight of the Electoral
Commission is not fit for purpose.
The report also highlighted cases such as Tower Hamlets – in
which the 2014 Mayoral election was declared void by corrupt and
illegal practices – as evidence of vulnerabilities in our system
which must be addressed.
The Elections Act 2022 delivers the government’s manifesto
commitment to protect the integrity of our democracy. As part of
the Act, new guidance for the regulator will be introduced
subject to the approval of the UK Parliament.
The draft guidance in the Statement states that the
Electoral Commission should support Returning Officers in
ensuring the secrecy of the ballot inside polling stations. This
addresses cross-party concerns about the practice of so-called
“family voting” or “community voting” in some areas of the
country, where it is alleged that some voters are being pressured
by their spouses or partners over who to vote for inside polling
booths.
In May 2022, the independent organisation, Democracy Volunteers,
asserted they had identified 5% of all voters they observed in
Tower Hamlets elections were either causing, or were affected by,
“family voting” and over 85% of those being affected by “family
voting” were women, predominantly from Asian backgrounds.
Levelling Up Secretary, , said:
The public rightly expects efficient and independent regulation
of the electoral system. The Pickles Report was clear that the
Electoral Commission needed to change.
This is why we are improving the accountability of the
Electoral Commission by giving Parliament greater
visibility and scrutiny of the Commission’s work.
This guidance is a necessary step to increase the accountability
of the Electoral Commission to UK Parliament whilst respecting
its operational independence.
It is completely unacceptable for anyone’s vote to be influenced
or pressured inside a polling station. Protecting the secrecy of
the ballot is of the utmost importance to the health of our
democracy.
The government in its 2019 manifesto committed to protecting the
integrity of our democracy. The new draft guidance therefore
requires the Commission to have regard to matters such as
tackling voter fraud, supporting Returning Officers in ensuring
the secrecy of the ballot inside polling stations, and supporting
participation by informing the public about the franchise and
electoral registration, when carrying out its relevant regulatory
functions.
The draft guidance also reflects the Pickles Report’s finding
that the Commission needed to refocus on its core functions.
The consultation – closing on 5 December 2022 – will provide the
statutory consultees with the opportunity to share their views on
the draft guidance. Under the Elections Act, those consultees are
the Commission itself, the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral
Commission and the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Committee.
What happens next?
The government will consider all responses to the consultation
and make any necessary changes before submitting the draft
guidance to Parliament for scrutiny. Parliamentarians will have
an opportunity to share their views on the draft before deciding
whether to approve or reject the draft guidance in full.
Further information
The Elections Act 2022 makes provisions for a Strategy and Policy
Statement that will contain guidance and principles for the
Electoral Commission to have regard to in the discharge of its
functions
See the draft guidance.
The government will also engage the Parliamentary Parties Panel
and other relevant stakeholders on the draft guidance.
