APCC Response to Electoral Commission Report on PCC Elections 2016

12/09/2016

Responding today to the report released by the Electoral Commission on Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) election in May 2016, Vera Baird QC, the Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners said:

“PCCs have made great strides in their first term in office. They have built up this totally new role, strengthening governance in policing, commissioning good local services for victims and putting the public’s priorities at the heart of all they do. We were pleased that there was a much higher turn-out for the PCC elections in May than in 2012 but acknowledge that we have more work do to raise our profile. We strongly support the call of the Electoral Commission for the Government to help us with this task by providing more information to voters at future PCC Elections, as they do at General Elections, particularly printed information about candidates.

“PCCs of all parties were concerned by the number of spoilt ballot papers. It seemed to us, as the report says, that the majority of cases are likely to have been because voters did not know enough either about the elections or about the supplementary vote system which was used.  It is important to resolve this in the future so that the public can be properly involved in elections for these important local posts, which derive their authority through democratic legitimacy.

“We support the Electoral Commission’s warnings about the need for clarity ahead of the 2020 elections when a number of different national and local elections will take place on the same day, using different electoral systems.  As Chair of the APCC, I intend to work with relevant Government departments to ensure that this is addressed effectively, including pressing to ensure that relevant legislation is laid in good time.”

published: 08-09-2016

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