ELECTORAL EDUCATION Ltd
For Impartial Election Education www.ElectionsUK.org
Impartial Project to inform, raise awareness and produce interactive response from the people of the region
Background
Electoral Education Ltd,”ELECT” a community educational business, has carried on work started nearly three years ago by Richard Bellamy, a former Humberside High Sheriff and Returning Officer , to give the public impartial information on our democratic processes, with emphasis on local input.
Working with Sam Younger and his team at The Electoral Commission we have covered the General Election 2001, a Mayoral Election 2002 and the first fully “official Active Citizenship” project in Local Elections 2003..
“It’s vital that voters know as much as possible about what they are voting for, and this innovative site makes an important and valuable contribution” Sam Younger, Chairman The Electoral Commission
This has built up our credibility as an impartial educational supplier both with The Electoral Commission and our recent evaluators of the “Active Citizenship” North East Lincs project
Quote “It offered a service to candidates and electors and did so on a neutral basis. In our assessment, we have looked for evidence of political or methodological bias. We have detected no evidence of political bias. In our view, the service offered has been scrupulously fair and consistent.” Professor of Government Hull University The Lord Norton, Chairman –House of Lords Constitution Committee.
We use new technologies as they develop and currently are using the Internet as a user friendly method of providing & storing information to be interrogated “on demand” and not just when the political world wants the public to take notice. The use of an impartial website helps to widen participation and gives a chance to “convert “people. A site committed to one view only attracts the converted.
We have pioneered audio electoral information, video is in the wings for when more users are on broadband or have interactive TV access. To hear people expressing the issues of their choice for 20 / 30 seconds in their own voices is a very powerful medium. No room for spin or misinterpretation, no room for being misquoted as the speaker can repeat their quotes until they are satisfied. These audio quotes with subtitles help those with reading difficulties and non English speakers. Bespoke language website versions can be produced for to cover the main non English languages and cultures, perhaps introduced by their community leaders
One of the main problems identified has been that elections are not marketed properly owing to the current culture and structure, partly because the Democratic Services departments, excellent at their jobs are not natural marketers by culture. The importance of ELECT cannot be underrated in this aspect as we are well fitted to give the impartial framework to get people interested and involved in our democracy.
Preparing the groundwork months ahead of the event is vital as those involved and the public have to get use to modern technologies and have to know where to find and use the Website library.
The Executive of the North West Regional Assembly has asked ElectionsUK to carry out an Impartial Programme based on this paper to collect information on the issues and assist in encouraging debate to enable voters to make an informed decision on the issue.See Release attached.
Postal voting is the agreed system for the Regional Referendum and in this ElectionsUK project can really come into its own. I again quote Lord Norton’s comments in his assessment
“We note the conclusion of the Electoral Commission in The Shape of Elections to Come that all-postal ballots have a significant impact on turnout. If the Commission’s recommendation for such ballots to be standard in local government elections is accepted and implemented, then the value of the Elections UK project we believe would be in complementing the all-postal ballot through enabling electors to access information about candidates and issues before completing their ballot paper, information about the website to accompany the ballot slip.”
(With this in mind we have asked The Electoral Commission to consider us for the pilot schemes announced recently and suggest that the “Active Citizenship” work we have done together be incorporated into one or more of the 2004 European pilots)
Initial Outline Proposal
ELECT is preparing to cover the debate around the issue of Elected Regional Assemblies, to ensure that the widest possible understanding of the real issues are given to the voters in the build up to the referendum and allow many avenues for them to be interactive with those “selling” the YES and NO points of view.
- “The aim of the project is the equivalent of offering a neutral venue and the means for candidates and electors to come together. The objectives are analogous to getting candidates and electors into the hall and ensuring a fair and informed debate.” Hull University Active Citizenship evaluation Aug 2003
In the absence of ELECT, who else will fill this role?
ELECT has the track record and accreditation to be able to Market the Referendum and act as the impartial Information source.
(ELECT is already in touch with those on the YES and No sides in Yorkshire & Humber, who have declared so far and have received a very favourable response.)
ELECT is well fitted to carry out this role and will produce the “hall “and structure for fair debate. It must be clearly understood that ELECT will not act as a censor in the issues but will work with a respected local person or persons accepted by all main elements as impartial supported by The Electoral Commission would make any decisions as to what should be excluded or revised. (See d)
During the Referendum period in particular the Returning Officer supported by The Electoral Commission would make any decisions as to what should be excluded or revised. (See d)
What type of activities could be included? – General List
1)
a) A website structure covering all and each part of the region included would be.
Background to the ERA proposal and the government’s and others views on, if and how this has European connections.
b) Impartial Pages - The issues, as they develop, identified by the opposing points of view and the public at large with replies and justifications to support the issues.
These issues and responses would be monitored to ensure that only those comments that were fact, agreed or able to be substantiated would be included here. A University oversight such as that by the department of Political Studies at Hull University or a University in the Region might be considered to handle this.
c) Groups on the YES and NO sides with their own interactive information pages, audio comments and links. This would be for views promoted by that particular side that are not necessarily accepted as facts by their opponents. Within the normal realms of decency and legality, any view can be floated here.
d) An online Forum with questions asked by the public, brought to the notice of the two sides for response. The level of Moderation will have to be decided upon and a set of rules agreed with the two sides as to what is acceptable. We have worked with the specialists here and would recommend “Chat Moderators Ltd or YOUGOV”
e) What the papers say. A balanced view of what is being said locally, regionally, nationally and abroad.
f) Inclusion generally is important, and disadvantaged, housebound, immigrant, blind and many other minorities should be catered for. This website could then be used for any government programme to educate immigrants in English & Citizenship.
g) Links to other sites of interest and interaction with them would be included
h) Government could have their own pages which they could update themselves directly to allow the latest up to date information to be speedily disseminated.
There would be many non internet parts of the project to encourage participation
such as
2) Encourage, assist and run, if required, a series of properly constituted impartial debates. Hold TV and encourage Radio debates
Each side would be given the opportunities regionally and locally to offer say 2 issues to be debated, supported by fact and / or supportive information. These would be put on the appropriate part of the website so that the audience can have prepared questions and statements for further debate on the night
3) Audio and video clip would be available for journalists, TV and radio stations to assist them to give balanced programme content.
4) Promotional material encouraging people to view the website and get themselves informed, apathy will be the biggest problem. Consider printed, audio and video versions of the web library information Arrange audio briefings for the blind and non English speakers on CD, cassette and in print etc
5) Arrange briefings for school teachers and produce an impartial briefing pack to tie in with the National Curriculum – Citizenship.
6) Set up “Lesson plans” for use in different types of schools, by age and also ability
7) Try to arrange (with the Government?) to send a sheet folded to A4 on which the Impartial Information distilled from the debates, with a page for WHY YES and opposite WHY NO, sent to every house in the region.
8) Consider other suggestions to promote the referendum and inform people. This is not a full list but merely to give the feel.
In addition ELECT can offer the following polling system.
ElectionsUK and YOUGOV are working together to produce valid local “YOURVOICE” polling both online and by other means, as YOUGOV did in Baghdad shortly after the “end” of main hostilities. Any part of the poll carried out manually would be converted by ElectionsUK / YOUGOV / Democratic Services staff to be put online. This would allow the full YOUGOV systems to get the correct demographics included and produce a very quick result. A series of these could be carried out identifying the opinions in the different parts of the region as well as the whole. These polls can be analyzed by age, profile and locality. This would give both parties the opportunity to canvass where their profile was lowest
Regional Elections
Should the vote be positive and a regional election is then called, the work used during “Active Citizenship – North East Lincolnshire” local council elections would be used as the basis for an Election Website. This would be put under the control of the Returning Officer appointed with any support required by The Electoral Commission
Each Candidate would be offered their own pages and be interviewed – “why should people vote for you” and say 3 issues of interest / expertise would be included in Audio and Text form.
All the other parts of the pilot project would be used and developed.
Richard A Bellamy 4th November 2003
What type of activities would be included? – North West Specific List – all interactive pages
1) Historical background to the Proposal
2) Pro’s and Cons of the issues and arguments. These would need to be justified to be on these impartial monitored pages.
3) Political Parties who are members of the NWRA with own pages – own pages for their viewpoints and to float propositions and ideas.
4) Government pages
5) North West Assembly pages
6) North West Constitutional Convention pages.
7) Draft Powers and Responsibilities of the Elected Assembly – compared with the current state.
8) Finances proposed and current
9) Boundary Committee Information with reference to the 3 NW Shire Counties
10) Size and composition of an Elected Assembly
11) How will the minorities be represented?
12) How will the Elected Assembly be audited and accountable?
13) Views of the subregions including minorities
14) Disabled, minority and deprived access to the above information
Richard A Bellamy, Executive Secretary, Electoral Education Ltd
NORTH WEST REGIONAL ASSEMBLY
- NEWS RELEASE – 4th November 2003
ASSEMBLY WELCOMES PRESCOTT’S CAMPAIGN FOR DEBATE
The Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott’s launch of a campaign to raise awareness and spark debate about an elected regional assembly for the North West in Warrington today (4/11/03) has been welcomed by the North West Regional Assembly.
The ‘Your Say’ campaign explains what regional government will mean to people in the North West so voters can make an informed choice in the referendum expected to be held next Autumn.
The Deputy Prime Minister said:
“People in the North West have a great opportunity to establish a new form of government that will bring choice, democracy and opportunity to their region. The information campaign I am launching today will ensure people are armed with the knowledge to choose whether they want to take this opportunity or not.”
In addition to an information leaflet, a ‘Your Say North West’ website, exhibitions and promotional material produced by the government campaign, the North West Regional Assembly will also launch its own website and series of public debates in partnership with Electoral Education Ltd, the independent company responsible for the highly regarded ElectionsUK website.
The North West Regional Assembly and ElectionsUK will carry out a totally impartial information campaign which will give both YES and NO campaigns equal opportunity to make their case.
The Leader of the North West Regional Assembly Derek Boden said:
“With less than a year to go before the likely date of the referendum on regional government in the North West, the Deputy Prime Minister’s visit to the region to launch the Your Say campaign will kick-start debate and raise awareness of the real issues.
“The North West Regional Assembly’s information project will build on the publicity provided by the Government. It will be scrupulously impartial and with the help of our partners at ElectionsUK will give everyone the chance to listen to all of the arguments and have their say before they vote on the issues.”
Notes to Editors
For further information about the Deputy Prime Minister’s ‘Your Say’ campaign please refer to ODPM news release ERA/NW/001/2003 (a copy of which is attached).
The North West Regional Assembly/ElectionsUK impartial information project will be launched shortly. For more information visit www.ElectionsUK.org or contact Richard Bellamy of Electoral Education Ltd on 01472 580708, mobile 07831 373 703 or Simon Crawshaw of the NWRA on 01942 776933.
Issued by the North West Regional Assembly – THE LEADING ENGLISH REGION
For further information please contact Simon Crawshaw, NWRA Communications Manager
on 01942 776933, 07971 295561, Fax 01942 776940
Email [email protected]