Order, Order

We turn now to a Stage 1 Vote on WB148, the Elections Bill, in the name of Maroiogog.

Elections Bill.

A

Bill

To

Make provisions for the use of IRV in the elections of various local government offices.

Having been passed by the Senedd Cymru and having received the assent of His Majesty, it is enacted as follows–

Section 1: Definition

(1) “IRV system of voting” means a poll returning one candidate in which each person entitled to vote may—

(a) Indicate their preferred candidate

(b) In case of the presence of 3 or more candidates, express a second and subsequent preference amongst candidates.

(c) Votes shall be counted in accordance with the guidance given by the electoral commission as a result of the STV Elections Act 2021.

Section 2: Elections for elected mayor of local authorities in England

(1) The Local Government Act 2000 is amended as follows:

(2) Substitute section 9HC (1) with “Each person entitled to vote as an elector at an election for the return of an elected mayor is to vote in accordance to the IRV system of voting if there are three or more candidates”

(3) omit Section 9HC (3)

(4) At the end of Schedule 2 (1) add “In Wales”

(5) In section 9HD (2), for “first preference vote, or more than one second preference vote,” substitute “vote”.

(6) In section 9R (1), omit the definitions of “first preference vote” and “second preference vote”.

Section 3: Elections for police and crime commissioners

(1) The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 is amended as follows:

(2) Substitute Section 57 (3) with “If there are three or more candidates the commissioner is to be returned under an IRV system of voting”

(3) Omit Sections 57 (4) and 57 (5).

(4) Omit Schedule 9.

Section 4: Extent, Commencement and Short Title

(1) This act shall come into force immediately upon royal assent

(2) This act may be cited as the Elections Act 2023.

This bill was submitted by the Rt. Hon. Earl of Kearton (Sir u/Maroiogog) KP KD OM CT CMG CBE LVO PC FRS as a Private Member’s Bill, and takes inspiration from the Elections Act 2022

LLywydd,

This bill is quite simple in nature and one which I have already submitted in London. It changes the voting system for local authority mayors and for police and crime commissioners from a system in which one can only indicate a first and second preference into one where one can indicate as many preferences as they please.

As we can see from these results of past police and crime commissioner elections many of the votes don’t actually redistribute and thus the desired effect of having voter’s full preference ranking influence the result of the poll is not achieved. Removing the limit of how many candidates can be ranked solves the issue.

Also, these changes bring these offices in line with the system used for most other elections in the country (everything aside from general elections), reducing confusions and making voting a more straightforward affair.

Link to the Debate

Voting on this bill will end at the close of business on Tuesday 21st of November at 10pm BST