INTEGRITY OF ELECTIONS

Early day motion 1338, tabled 10 June 2004 by Gordon Prentice (Labour). Signed by 36 members.

That this House expresses its deep concern at allegations of cheating and stealing votes in the all-postal vote pilot areas; believes that if the Electoral Commission find the election to be seriously contaminated the Government should reverse the decision already taken to have all-postal voting in the forthcoming referendums on regional assemblies; further believes that all postal voting is more open to fraud than secret voting in a polling station and, with that in mind, urges the Government to consider other ways of boosting turnout at elections by, for example, declaring polling day a public holiday or having voting at weekends with voters being rewarded in some way by the State for participating in the election.

Signatures by party: Labour 19, Liberal Democrat 9, Conservative 3, Plaid Cymru 2, UUP 2, DUP 1.