Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of a) local, b) regional and c) general elections being held on a Saturday on voter turnout.

The Government has not made any recent assessment of the impact of moving polling day to a Saturday on voter turnout.

The Government is committed to increasing democratic participation, as set out in its manifesto. As part of this work, we are preparing to pilot a range of flexible voting options at this May’s local elections, including opportunities for electors to cast their vote over the weekend alongside the traditional polling day. These pilots are designed to build a fuller understanding of how giving people greater choice in when and where they vote can support wider participation and strengthen the overall voting experience.