Arbuthnot Commission on Boundaries, Voting And Representation In Scotland
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Central Lobby
Putting Citizens First
 Our View There are currently different electoral systems in use for local elections, Scottish Parliament elections, Westminster elections and European Parliament elections. There was concern that this would cause confusion and possibly deter voters from participating. Although the Commission has not gone as far as campaigners would have liked and introduced the single transferable vote for Scottish Parliament elections; it has recommended that this should be considered if further change is deemed necessary following experience of two elections. Significantly the Commission has not recommended that candidates for the Scottish Parliament should be prevented from standing in both a constituency and being on the party?s regional list. The Government is currently trying to ban dual candidacy in elections to the Welsh Assembly. |
The Arbuthnott Commission, set up to explore whether changes should be made to the existing boundaries and voting systems in Scotland, published its report Putting Citizens First in January 2006.
Key recommendations included:
- The mixed member proportional system for elections to the Scottish Parliament should be retained, but revised.
- In order to give voters more choice over the election of regional members, the closed list system should be replaced by open lists.
- Candidates for election to the Scottish Parliament should not be prohibited from standing in a constituency and on the regional list at the same election.
- The single transferable vote should be introduced for European parliamentary elections in Scotland.
- E-counting and e-voting should be introduced as soon as possible but before 2011.
- In advance of every election, information clearly describing the electoral system and voting arrangements should be provided to the electorate.
- After every election, information should be provided to every household that includes details of their representatives and their responsibilities.
Consultation Paper published
The Arbuthnott Commission on Boundary Differences and Voting Systems launched its' consultation paper on 18th January.
The Commission is seeking views on the proposed changes in constituency boundaries and voting. It wants to assess how such changes would affect:
- voter participation;
- the relationship between public bodies and authorities in Scotland and MPs and MSPs;
- representation of constituents by different tiers of elected members (European, Westminster, Holyrood and local government).
Responses to the consultation are requested by 15 April 2005. These should be sent to arbuthnottcommission@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or Commission on Boundary Differences and Voting Systems 50 Frederick Street Edinburgh, EH2 1NG
The Commission aims to report its recommendations to the Secretary of State for Scotland and First Minister by the end of 2005.
Copies of the consultation document and further details of the Commission and its' remit can be found at the Commission's website
