November 2003 The National Assembly for Wales elections 2003 The official report and results The National Assembly for Wales We are an independent body that was set up by the UK Parliament. We aim to gain public confidence and encourage The National people to take part in the democratic process within the UK by modernising the electoral process, promoting public awareness of electoral matters, and Assembly for Wales regulating political parties. The Electoral Commission Trevelyan House Great Peter Street London SW1P 2HW Te l 020 7271 0500 2791/RP/10.03 elections 2003 Fax 020 7271 0505 © The Electoral Commission 2003 [email protected] ISBN: 1-904363-12-1 www.electoralcommission.org.uk The official report and results The Electoral Commission Trevelyan House Great Peter Street London SW1P 2HW Tel 020 7271 0500 Fax 020 7271 0505 [email protected] www.electoralcommission.org.uk MainThe Electoral Commission headings Caradog House 1-6 St Andrews Place Cardiff CF10 3BE Tel 029 2034 6800 Fax 029 2034 6805 [email protected] www.comisiwnetholiadol.org.uk The Electoral Commission We are an independent body that was set up by the UK Parliament. We aim to gain public confidence and encourage people to take part in the democratic process within the UK by modernising the electoral process, promoting public awareness of electoral matters, and regulating political parties. On 1 April 2002, The Boundary Committee for England (formerly the Local Government Commission for England) became a statutory committee of The Electoral Commission. Its duties include reviewing local electoral boundaries. The National Assembly for Wales elections 2003 Mae’r adroddiad hwn ar gael yn y Gymraeg hefyd ISBN: 1-904363-30-X 1 Contents Preface 3 Emphasising the positive 43 What can be done? 43 Executive summary 5 Summary of recommendations 44 Priorities and principles 5 Turnout 5 4Public awareness and the media 45 The National Assembly’s own Sources of public information 45 electoral responsibilities 7 The role of the media in the election 46 Professionally run and voter-friendly elections 7 Key findings 46 Facts and figures 8 What can be done? 52 The Electoral Commission and public awareness 52 Constituencies and electoral regions of the Summary of recommendations 54 National Assembly for Wales 10 Map 11 5 The administration of the election 55 Introduction 55 1 Introduction 13 Planning for the election 56 Responsibilities of The Electoral Commission 13 The election timetable 56 Our role in reviewing elections 14 Training 58 Report process 14 Voter registration 59 Priorities and principles 15 Advice for candidates and agents 61 Scope 16 Electoral forms 61 Campaign expenditure 17 Consistency of practice 62 Recommendations 17 Postal voting 65 Delivery of candidates’ election leaflets 71 2 The backdrop to the election 19 Fraud and security 72 Some demographics: Wales in 2003 19 Election day activity 72 Devolution: the background 20 Number of ballot boxes 73 The electoral system of the National Assembly Spoilt ballot papers and the voting process 73 for Wales 20 The count 74 Running elections to the National Assembly for Wales 21 Election result service 76 The process of introducing Assembly Staffing and funding 77 electoral legislation 22 Calculating the cost of the election 78 Public awareness 25 Meeting the needs of voters 79 Summary of recommendations 28 Summary of recommendations 79 3Voter turnout 29 6 Equal access for all 83 Turnout – the big story 29 Introduction 83 Identifying the causes 29 Research methodology 83 What the public said 30 Access to registration 84 The information deficit and public awareness 31 Equal opportunity to stand as a candidate 84 Age and voting behaviour 33 Equal access to the voting process for people Other demographics and voting behaviour 35 with disabilities 85 Voter attitudes to the National Assembly 36 Consultation with local disability access groups 86 The nature of the election campaign 37 Getting to the polling station 86 The need for more convenient methods of voting 41 Location of polling stations 87 2 Access for people with impaired hearing 88 Access for people with impaired vision 88 Elections staff and access for people with disabilities 88 The Welsh language and access for people with disabilities 89 Good practice 89 Postal voting and people with disabilities 89 SCOPE Cwmpas Cymru’s recommendations 90 Future elections and accessibility 90 Summary of recommendations 91 Appendix 1 Opinion poll research: composition of focus groups 93 Appendix 2 Election data 95 Explanatory notes 95 The official results 96 Turnout 116 Postal voting 122 Political party data 124 Candidates data 147 3 Preface The Electoral Commission is a We did not come to these elections with a blank sheet of paper in front of us. The Commission has already relative newcomer to the democratic reported on the general election in 2001, which in turn process across the United Kingdom, generated a series of reviews of electoral policy. Recommendations we have already made to the so this is our first statutory report on UK government for modernising the electoral system elections to the National Assembly formed the backdrop to our approach, but we also commissioned a range of research specific to Wales for Wales. We are required to report and these elections. Our work has therefore been set on the administration of the election directly in the context of devolution, with the interests of the Welsh electorate at the heart of our concerns. and to keep under review a range of matters relating to elections. This report by The Electoral Commission was compiled at our office in Cardiff by a team led by the Head of Office, Kay Jenkins. We would like to thank all those who Consistent with our responsibilities have assisted us with advice, information and comments, including political parties, candidates, agents and to promote public awareness and officials working to the Assembly and the Secretary modernise elections, this report on of State for Wales. the elections, held on 1 May 2003, But we are particularly grateful to Returning Officers and covers not only administrative issues. electoral services staff who have given time to collecting information and data for inclusion in this report and for We report on the challenging issue assisting us with constituency visits. Electoral services of declining turnout, the structure are still the ‘cinderella’ of local government, with low budgets and, in most local authorities in Wales, typically of responsibility for managing only one or two staff working year-round on electoral the elections and how they were registration and elections. We recognise the particular pressures they face in preparing for a major election, conducted in practice, as well as and much appreciate their cooperation. wider issues impacting on voter The Commission is publishing an equivalent report on perceptions of what the elections the Scottish Parliament elections on 1 May, where some were all about. of the issues were similar, while others were different. The objective of both reports is to contribute to the fair and efficient conduct of future elections, and to seek greater public involvement in the democratic process. Glyn Mathias Electoral Commissioner The National Assembly for Wales elections 2003: preface 4 The National Assembly for Wales elections 2003: preface 5 Executive summary This report is the Commission’s Priorities and principles In reviewing this election, the Commission aims to place first on a National Assembly for the interests of the voter and the electorate at the centre. Wales election. It is our statutory Our next priority is that electoral arrangements should create the best possible conditions for political parties and duty to report on the administration candidates to engage with the electorate. In the context of of the election and to keep under the turnout at the National Assembly election in May 2003, this is no small matter. Our third priority is to ensure that review a range of matters relating Electoral Registration Officers, Returning Officers and to elections. In this report we have election staff can effectively and efficiently administer electoral processes. In making recommendations for considered all aspects of the change, our report is rooted firmly in the context of election within our remit and devolution in Wales. consistent with our role as an Turnout independent body. Voter participation at the National Assembly election in 2003, at only 38%, leaves all those concerned with elections and electoral processes with a serious challenge. Action is needed across all fronts to prevent further falls and to engage the electorate in Wales. All those with an interest in sustaining democracy – especially political parties, electoral administrators, the Assembly and the Commission itself – have a responsibility to examine how they can more effectively provide information to, and secure the confidence of, the public. There is also an urgent need for better communication with, and greater involvement of, younger people. Our report examines the reasons for low turnout at this election. We have drawn on specially-commissioned public opinion research, academic analysis of the results and expert analysis of media coverage of the election. We have also reviewed commentary from a broad range of sources to inform our conclusions. Low turnout is far from being a ‘Welsh disease’; across most of the UK and western democracies, the trend in turnout is downwards. But there are factors that are specific to Wales and specific to this election. We conclude that a complex interplay of factors resulted in a turnout of only 38% at this election. We set out below the key themes that emerge in our report. The National Assembly for Wales elections 2003: executive summary 6 The information deficit campaign in many areas of Wales, including the lack of personal contact between candidates, political party In terms of public awareness, we identified before activists and the public, impacted on turnout.