Elections and electoral systems
Reluctant elites: democratic innovations are popular – but rare. Brexit shows why
People want more say in the democratic process – by voting in referendums and taking part in town hall debates, for example. But in fact these kinds of democratic innovation are rare. Caroline Close and Lidia Núñez explain how parties in power have a vested interest in keeping things the way they are, particularly given how risky referendums can […]
‘If something isn’t done we’ve hit democracy’s high water mark. That’s billions of people and their life chances’ – Brian Klaas
For the first time since the end of the Cold War, the world is becoming less democratic. In The Despot’s Accomplice: How the West is Aiding and Abetting the Decline of Democracy, the LSE’s Brian Klaas argues the West is helping to prop up dictators and hybrid regimes. He talks to Democratic Audit editor Ros […]
How Australian activists used Obama-style micro-targeting in the 2016 elections
Micro-targeting, or data-driven fieldwork, was pioneered by Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns and has now spread to Australia. Stephen Mills explains how activists in different parties and pressure groups used it to target voters in the 2016 elections. Volunteers’ enthusiasm for this form of campaigning marks a turning point in Australian politics. Similar PostsAustralian politics shows why […]
Take note, Justin Trudeau: three reasons why changing an electoral system is so hard
Canada is thinking about changing its electoral system, write Kristof Jacobs and Lidia Núñez. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged that 2015 would be the last time Canadians elect a federal government using the first-past-the-post system. A parliamentary committee has been set up and talks are on the way. If Canada were to succeed, it would […]
Free and fair? 2016’s elections so far, ranked by integrity
Which countries hold the fairest elections? The Perceptions of Electoral Integrity dataset analysed every election held so far in 2016 and ranked countries in order of electoral integrity. Ferran Martinez i Coma introduces the findings and identifies some important trends – notably a move away from ballot-stuffing and towards abuses of campaign finance and media […]
Don’t let them lie: how we can start holding political advertising to account
Politicians have always lied, writes Alex Parsons, and claims we have entered an era of ‘post-truth politics’ are themselves misleading. Nonetheless, efforts to hold political advertising to account in Britain have failed because of the lack of party consensus on the issue. While commercial advertising can be banned by the Advertising Standards Authority, it has […]
So much for #pencilgate: the referendum wasn’t rigged – but Britain’s electoral machinery needs fine-tuning
Despite widespread fears to the contrary, the EU referendum passed off without major problems. But the vote revealed underlying problems with Britain’s electoral system – most notably the difficulty of registering to vote. Toby S James and Alistair Clark, authors of a new report by the Electoral Commission on the quality of electoral administration at […]
The people have spoken. Or have they? Doing referendums differently after the EU vote
Referendums have become a central feature of our politics, writes Will Brett. In this extract from the Electoral Reform Society‘s report on the lessons learned from the Brexit vote, he sets out the shortcomings of the EU referendum and proposes how to improve the quality of debate next time – including intervention when campaigners make misleading […]
Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘new politics’: entryism or ‘folk politics’ coming of age?
Jeremy Corbyn’s politics might not signal the end of Labour as an electable party but a much deeper change in British politics. James A. Smith explains that the Left has long focussed on protest politics, but led by Corbyn, the causes that the Left stands for now have the potential to gain the backing of […]
How transparency can be improved in the way EU laws are negotiated and agreed
The EU’s legislative process has often been criticised from the perspective that it lacks transparency. Aidan O’Sullivan outlines the findings of a recent inquiry by the European Ombudsman on the transparency of so called ‘Trilogue’ negotiations, where representatives of the European Parliament and national Ministers meet to negotiate and agree on a common final text […]
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