Election change voted in by councillors
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By
Hayley Robinson
The way residents vote for Swale borough councillors
is set to change.
The council usually holds it elections by
thirds meaning a third of the borough's councillors
are elected every three out of four years.
But from May 2011 whole elections will operate in the
borough meaning residents will elect every councillor at the
same time on a common date.
The council, following public consultation, voted to
change the electoral arrangements during the extraordinary council
meeting held at Swale House last night (Thursday).
It means those councillors who are elected in May this
year will have to stand again next year at the same time as all
other borough councillors.
Andrew Bowles, the leader of the council, said: "We hope
that residents will seize the opportunity that the new voting
system will give them and will use their right to vote.
"The new system should make it much clearer for residents
to identify who their elected representative is, and councillors
will now be able to concentrate on council business safe in the
knowledge that they are all elected for a four-year
term."
The advantages of whole council elections are that they
offer more stability. In particular, it offers whichever party wins
the majority of seats on the Council a clear, four-year term in
which to see through their manifesto, and allows voters much more
opportunity to change the overall political control of a council,
as all councillors stand for election at the same time.
It also removes the annual pause when every spring the
political business of the council slows down while the electoral
process takes place.
Evidence from organisations such as the Electoral
Commission shows that voter turnout is higher in areas that conduct
whole council elections. There is also evidence that the elections
by thirds system is confusing to voters.
There is still time to register to vote in this year's
borough council elections.
The last day to register to vote in the Borough Council
elections is April 20 - 5pm that day is also the deadline to
register to apply for a postal vote in the elections or to change
or cancel an existing absent vote arrangement.
The deadline for having a proxy vote (except for medical
emergencies) in this year's borough council elections is April 27
2010.
Friday, March 19 2010
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