Elections

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on elections. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

DateDescription
08.05.2012Disclosure of tax returns for public officials and holders of public office
During the campaign for the London mayor in 2012, the two main candidates, Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone, agreed to release details of their tax returns. The Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer have also suggested that the policy could be extended more widely. This Note looks at the arguments for and against so far, and looks at selected international comparisons.
02.05.2012Electoral offences since 2010
This Note continues the chronology in SN 3667 of allegations of electoral malpractice and describes the different election offences. The Labour Government made provision for the introduction of individual electoral registration in the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 to help combat electoral fraud and legislation is expected in the next Parliamentary session to speed up the implementation of IER.
01.05.2012Madagascar's political crisis
The continuing political crisis in Madagascar began when Andre Rajoelina successfully ousted the incumbent President, Marc Ravalomana, in March 2009 and installed himself instead, albeit formally as a transitional leader pending elections. The international community considers Rajoelina illegitimate. Regional mediation efforts to return Madagascar to 'constitutional rule' led to a peace deal in September 2011, but implementation remains fraught and the danger reamains that the process could collapse.
27.04.2012Opinion polls: Social Indicators page
Opinion polls: Social Indicators page. A summary of recent opinion polls on voting intention and important issues among voters.
27.04.2012Turnout: Social Indicators page
Turnout: Social Indicators page. Summary information on turnout at elections in the UK.

Research Papers

DateDescription
17.05.2012Electoral Registration and Administration Bill
This research paper has been written to inform Members in preparation for the second reading of the Electoral Registration and Administration Bill 2012-13
26.10.2011Social Indicators
A compendium of the latest social statistics. This edition includes articles: The August 2011 riots: a statistical summary, and Initial proposals for new constituency boundaries.
24.05.2011Scottish Parliament Elections: 2011
The SNP gained an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament in the elections on 5 May 2011. The paper provides data on voting trends and electoral turnout for constituencies, electoral regions, and for Scotland as a whole.
24.05.2011Local Elections: 2011
19.05.2011Northern Ireland Assembly Elections: 2011
Elections on 5 May 2011 resulted in little change in the overall party composition of the Northern Ireland Assembly. Gains and losses by individual parties involved just one or two seats. 108 Assembly Members were elected by Single Transferrable Vote, 6 Members for each of 18 constituencies. Following the 2011 elections the two largest parties in the Assembly are the DUP (38 MLAs) and Sinn Féin (29 MLAs).

Select Committee Reports

DateDescription
11.01.2012Constitution Select Committee (HL) twenty-third report on Voting at the close of poll.
Constitution Select Committee (HL) report [Lords]
22.11.2011Political party finance: ending the big donor culture.
Committee on Standards in Public Life report [Commons]
04.03.2011Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill.
Government response. Deputy Prime Minister report [Commons]
31.01.2011Work of the Committee in 2010.
Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission report [Commons]
11.10.2010Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill.
Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

DateDescription
12.07.2011HATIP DICLE AND FELLOW MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
That this House notes the success of the 36 independent candidates of the Labour, Democracy and Freedom block supported by the Kurdish population in the Turkish general election on ...
23.03.2011BURMA AND THE EU
That this House notes that despite holding an election in November 2010, Burma has failed to meet the requests of the EU Common Position, last renewed on 26 April 2010, which called ...
01.03.2011IRISH GENERAL ELECTION RESULT
That this House notes the heavy defeat of the governing Fianna Fail party in the Irish General Election; further notes the loss of all the seats in the Dail of its junior partner, the ...
01.02.2011STOKE-ON-TRENT (ELECTORAL CHANGES) ORDER 2011
That this House notes that the Stoke-on-Trent (Electoral Changes) Order 2011 seeks to implement the recommendations of the Electoral Commission's review of electoral arrangements for ...
24.01.2011SOUTH SUDAN REFERENDUM AND PEACE CAMPAIGNING BY EMMANUEL JAL
That this House notes the peaceful South Sudan independence referendum which took place between 9 January and 15 January 2011; welcomes the fact that the referendum's validity threshold ...

Glossary

  • Research Papers (RP) - briefings produced by the House of Commons Library on Bills, topical issues and regular statistics
  • Standard Notes (SN) - shorter, topical briefings from the Commons Library
  • Early Day Motions (EDMs) - formal motions submitted by MPs in the House of Commons
  • POST Notes - short briefing notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Lords Library Notes (LLN) - an occasional series of papers compiled by the House of Lords Library