A briefing paper explored how and why those experiencing social disadvantage tended to also be the most politically excluded in society.
Source: Social Exclusion and Political Engagement, Electoral Commission (020 7271 0500)
Links: Briefing
Date: 2005-Nov
The government published a Bill putting a new duty on election administrators to make sure as many people as possible were registered to vote in Parliamentary constituencies. The Bill also proposed new ways to tackle fraud, allowed better access to the election process, and reduced the age at which people could stand for election from 21 to 18. It was given a second reading.
Source: Electoral Administration Bill, Department for Constitutional Affairs, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 25 October 2005, columns 193-276, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | DCA press release | HOC Library research paper (pdf) | Electoral Commission press release | ERS press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Oct
A report said that younger adults might be acquiring the habit of non-voting, raising the long-term possibility of a generation of non-voters. It also showed that while postal voting was the voting method of choice for many people, 46 per cent considered it to be unsafe, as did one-fifth of those who actually voted by post.
Source: Election 2005: Turnout, How many, who and why?, Electoral Commission (020 7271 0500)
Links: Report (pdf) | Electoral Commission press release
Date: 2005-Oct
The government announced that it had decided not to invite applications from local authorities to conduct electronic voting pilots in the May 2006 local elections.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Answers 12 September 2005, column 2253W, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2005-Sep
A report said that up to 3.7 million people in England and Wales (8-9 per cent of the eligible population) did not register to vote in 2000.
Source: Understanding Electoral Registration: The extent and nature of non-registration in Britain, Electoral Commission (020 7271 0500)
Links: Report (pdf) | Electoral Commission press release | Electoral Reform Society press release
Date: 2005-Sep
A literature review examined civic participation activity in public policy-making. Across many different contexts there was concern that, to date, civic participation appeared not to have made a significant impact on decision-making.
Source: Linda Nicholson, Civic Participation in Public Policy-Making: A literature review, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Aug
A report said that people living in the most deprived areas of Scotland showed lower interest in political participation, and were less likely to take up opportunities for involvement.
Source: Stephen Hope and Susan King, Public Attitudes to Participation, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report (pdf) | SE press release
Date: 2005-Aug
A report said that the Scottish Executive needed to work harder to engage with all sectors of society, in particular members of the public and minority ethnic communities.
Source: Linda Nicholson, Civic Participation Activity in the Scottish Executive: Results of two mapping exercises, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report (pdf) | SE press release
Date: 2005-Aug
A new book provided a comprehensive overview of the campaign leading up to the 2005 British General Election, and an analysis of the results.
Source: Pippa Norris and Christopher Wlezien (eds.), Britain Votes 2005, Hansard Society (020 7955 7459)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Jul
A report examined public knowledge, attitudes, and expectations of Parliament - with the aim of understanding the root causes of disengagement, and developing practical tools to help overcome it.
Source: Vidya Ram, Enhancing Engagement: What people think, know and expect of Parliament, Hansard Society (020 7955 7459)
Links: Report (pdf) | Active Citizenship Centre press release
Date: 2005-Jul
A report examined how young people could become involved in the political life of their communities.
Source: Bernie Flanagan, Jennifer Philpott, Catherine Reid and Damien Gilchrist, Democracy through Citizenship, Institute for Citizenship (020 7844 5444)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jul
A report evaluated democratic innovations in other countries that might help to increase and deepen citizen participation in the political decision-making process in the United Kingdom.
Source: Graham Smith, Beyond the Ballot: 57 democratic innovations from around the world, POWER Inquiry (0845 345 5307)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jun
The government announced plans (in the Queen's speech) for an Electoral Administration Bill. The Bill would overhaul the laws governing electoral fraud to reduce malpractice, and develop a more secure postal voting system.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Debate 17 May 2005, columns 29-31, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2005-May
The government began consultation on measures to improve the administration of elections, in particular by improving the security of postal voting.
Source: Electoral Administration: A policy paper for discussion, Department for Constitutional Affairs (020 7210 8500)
Links: Consultation document (pdf)
Date: 2005-May
The Electoral Commission made 45 recommendations designed to strengthen public confidence in the security and reliability of the electoral process.
Source: Securing the Vote, Electoral Commission (020 7271 0500)
Links: Report (pdf) | Electoral Commission press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-May
Campaigners said that 66 per cent of polling stations surveyed during the 2005 general election failed a basic access test for disabled people.
Source: Press release 17 May 2005, Scope (020 7619 7341)
Links: Scope press release
Date: 2005-May
A report examined voter turnout at general elections, and summarized recent research on political engagement.
Source: Vote 2005: A review of social and academic research into voting at UK Parliamentary general elections, Electoral Commission (020 7271 0500)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Apr
A special election court found that postal voting fraud had been used by Birmingham Labour Party councillors to win two wards during city council elections in June 2004. It warned that there were no adequate systems in place to detect or prevent postal voting fraud at the 2005 general election. The government condemned the abuses, and said it would take further steps to reinforce safeguards against fraud.
Source: The Guardian, 5 April 2005 | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 5 April 2005, columns 1274-1291, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Guardian report | Hansard
Date: 2005-Apr
A report said that although most people had a strong aspiration to have a say in how the country was run, many doubted that political participation was the best way to do so.
Source: An Audit of Political Engagement 2, Electoral Commission (020 7271 0500) and Hansard Society
Links: Report (pdf) | Electoral Commission press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Mar
The government announced that it intended to legislate, when parliamentary time allowed, to lower the age at which a candidate could stand for election from 21 to 18 years.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 27 January 2005, column 23WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2005-Jan