Asked by: Lord Hayward (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to carry out voting system trials in the May 2026 local elections; and if so, which voting systems they will trial, and in which local authorities those trials will take place.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government committed in its manifesto to encourage greater participation in democracy. To support this, the Government is exploring ways to make voting in person more efficient, more convenient, and better aligned with the expectations of today’s electors.
Local authorities were invited to submit applications to pilot a range of flexible voting methods at the May 2026 elections in England, and these are being considered for approval.
Asked by: Lord Hayward (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government when in 2022 officials first received counsel’s opinion from the Electoral Commission in relation to voter secrecy under the Representation of the People Act 1983.
Answered by Baroness Penn
Officials first received counsel’s advice from the Electoral Commission on 26 August 2022, and a follow-up opinion on 29 September 2022.