17/10/03 - Postal voting increases voter turnout

A 44.4% vote in yesterday’s by-election in St Michael’s, Workington proved that postal voting increases electoral turnout.  Ian Francis, the Liberal Democrat candidate won the election by a majority of 38 but 11% more votes were cast than at the corresponding District Council election held in May 2003 using traditional polling stations.  Martin Kennedy, representing the Council’s proper officer for elections says,

“The County Council is committed to improving the turn-out at local elections and therefore increasing the democratic participation of Cumbria’s citizens.  Making it easier for electors to vote is the key factor in achieving this.  Evidence from pilot schemes around the country show that postal ballots have been successful in increasing voter turnout.  

Efforts to publicise the by-election’s postal vote status have proved successful and the results are indicative of how we can engage more of the public in the democratic process.”

Cumbria County Council agreed to support the St Michael’s by-election as a 100% voting ballot pilot at it’s meeting on 18 September.  The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister authorized the pilot.