Electoral reform: consultation analysis

Analysis of Electoral Reform consultation.


Annex 2: Number of responses to each question

Table A2.1 below shows the number of respondents who answered each of the consultation questions.

Table A2.1: Number of responses to each consultation question

Question Number of responses % of total (911)
1 Do you think the term length for the Scottish Parliament and local government should be: [4 years? / 5 years? / Other length (please specify)?] 743 82%
2 Do you have any other comments or suggestions on term lengths? 305 33%
3 Do you agree that the Electoral Management Board and the Board’s Convener should be given the same functions in relation to Scottish Parliament elections as they already have for local government elections? [Yes / No] 695 76%
4 Do you have any other views on the future role of the Electoral Management Board? 141 15%
5 Should the Returning Officer appointment for Scottish Parliament elections continue to be on an appointment on a personal basis, independent from Scottish Government and local authority control? [Yes / No] 712 78%
6 Should the role of the Returning Officer become part of the job description of local authority Chief Executives? (This is not currently the case and would require renegotiation of terms and conditions.) [Yes / No] 701 77%
7 Do you have any other comments or suggestions about who should have the role of Retuning Officer or how Returning Officers should be paid? 229 25%
8 Do you agree that candidates’ addresses should not be required to appear on ballot papers for local government elections? [Yes / No] 741 81%
9 Do you have any other comments to make on this issue? 248 27%
10a Do you agree that, in order to counteract the list order effect, a change should be made to the way in which candidates are listed on election ballot papers? [Yes / No] 676 74%
10b If so, what form of new system would you favour: [Rotation / Randomisation / Alphabetical–reverse alphabetical / Any other (please specify)] Please select all that apply. 588 65%
11 Do you have any other comments to make on this issue? 146 16%
12a Would you be happy to use an electronic voting machine in a polling place instead of a traditional ballot paper? [Yes / No] 747 82%
12b Would you like voting to be possible on more than one day? [Yes / No] 747 82%
12c Would you like to be able to vote at any polling place in Scotland? [Yes / No] 746 82%
12d Do you have any other comments? 325 36%
13a If internet or mobile phone voting was available, would you choose to use that rather than vote at a polling place or by post? [Yes / No] 741 81%
13b If internet or mobile phone voting was available, would you be more likely to vote? [Yes / No] 741 81%
13c Would you like voting to be possible on more than one day? [Yes / No] 734 81%
13d Do you have any other comments? 314 34%
14 Do you think that we should move to a rolling programme of reviews of local government electoral arrangements? [Yes / No] 691 76%
Comments 132 14%
15a Should Scottish Ministers be able to change the recommendations of the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland on Scottish Parliament constituencies and council wards? [Yes / No] 702 77%
15b Should the Scottish Parliament be able to challenge the recommendations of the Boundary Commission on Scottish Parliament constituencies and council wards? [Yes / No] 701 77%
15c Should the recommendations of the Commission be implemented without change? [Yes / No] 671 74%
15d Please comment on your answer. 309 34%
16 Should the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland be allowed the flexibility to recommend wards which have between 2 and 5 councillors, instead of 3 or 4 councillors as at present? [Yes / No] 689 76%
Comments 164 18%
17 Do you agree that the franchise should be extended to include everyone legally resident in Scotland? [Yes / No] 750 82%
18 Do you have any views on how long should someone be resident in Scotland before they become eligible to vote? 578 63%
19 Do you have any other comments to make on this issue? 214 23%
20 Do you think that we should make it easier for individuals who may be at risk from any form of abuse to register anonymously, whilst maintaining the integrity of the electoral register? [Yes / No] 750 82%
Comments 133 15%
21 Should a voter be allowed to register in more than one local authority area? [Yes / No] 749 82%
Comments 249 27%
22 Do you agree that a voter should only be allowed vote once in local government elections in Scotland? [Yes / No] 746 82%
Comments 146 16%
23 What other action could the Scottish Government take to widen access to and remove barriers to voting and elected office? 395 43%
24 As well as the above arrangements, is there anything else that could be done to increase the accessibility of elections? 256 28%
25 How can the Scottish Government best support gender balance in those elected as MSPs or local councillors? 421 46%

Contact

ElectionsTeam@gov.scot

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