New Electoral Administration Bill doesn't go far enough

5.28.18pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 12th Oct 2005

Colin Ross, Sue Simmonds and Dave Radcliffe in Ukraine after monitoring the elections in the Boxing Day Presidential re-run

The Government are publishing a new Electoral Administration Bill. This follows widespread concern about postal voting, and will bring in new electoral fraud offences; introduce a marked register of postal votes received to prevent fraud; and improve security markings on ballot papers. Planned measures may include voters being required to give their signature and date of birth on electoral registration forms so that postal votes can be verified, a ban on political parties and community leaders gathering postal vote application forms.

The Bill does not go far enough in my opinion, whilst it contain a number of modest improvements. There is a complete failure to respond effectively to concerns about the integrity of the system, particularly over postal ballots where we need a comprehensive system of individual voter identification. After having monitored elections in both Kosovo and Ukraine I think there is a lot more that the UK could learn when it comes to elections.

However one good part of the Bill, which will be overlooked, is the move to equalise the age of candidature and the age of voting. Sadly this will remain at 18 rather than be reduced to 16 but it is a step in the right direction.