Local Election Shambles

With the local elections now upon us, two thirds of people in the UK have never met their local councillor and a similar number cannot name one, according to a new survey from MORI. Conducted for Green Issues Communications, the research also shows that three in ten adults don't actually know that there are local elections this week.

The survey details that 67% of people have never met their local councillor and 64% cannot name one. Just 19% of potential voters would approach a councillor if they needed help dealing with a noisy neighbour. The problem is thought to become even more serious when viewed regionally. London comes bottom of the league table of 'connected councillors'. Some 82% of Londoners have never met any of their local councillors and 76% could not name one. Only 13% of Londoners would bother to seek out a councillor if they needed help.

There is also a generation gap in local election voting patterns. Three-quarters of young people aged 15-24 were found to have never met their local councillor, compared with just over half of those aged 55 plus. Older citizens are over twice as likely to say that they know the name of their local councillor (46% vs. 20% of 15-24 year olds).

Tom Curtin, managing director of Green Issues Communications, noted 'It is hardly surprising that local polls attract less than one third of the electorate. A result we can expect to be repeated on 2 May - many councillors and voters are effectively divorced. There is clearly enormous confusion amongst voters. Although local elections are conducted on a first past the post basis, there are numerous and complex ways by which councillors are elected. For example, some have elections every four years, whilst others have a third elected each year - on the 4th year there is no election! Some councils' have one or two councillors per ward while others have three. Some people are represented by a unitary council whilst others have a district/borough and county council.'

Concluding, Curtin observed, 'One has only to consider the result of the low turnout in the French presidential election to be aware of the danger that our electoral system poses. Even with their simple system it's hard enough to get people to vote! What is needed is a simple system with one tier of local government and council elections every four years with one councillor per ward.'

The MORI Social Research Institute interviewed 1,067 adults aged 15 plus across the UK on 18 to22 April 2002 using the MORI Omnibus. Interviews were conducted face to face in respondents' homes.

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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