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May 2007 pilot schemes

On 29 January 2007, the Government announced details of the local authorities carrying out electoral pilot schemes at English local government elections on 3 May. The local authorities were:

• Bedford
• Breckland
• Broxbourne
• Dover
• Gateshead
• Rushmoor
• Sheffield
• Shrewsbury & Atcham
• South Bucks
• Stratford-on-Avon and Warwick (Joint pilot)
• Sunderland
• Swindon

We were required to evaluate those 12 pilot schemes and publish reports on each pilot scheme within three months of the election. Copies of our evaluation reports can be downloaded below:

• Bedford electoral pilot scheme report and Bedford pilot statutory Order
• Breckland electoral pilot scheme report and Breckland pilot statutory Order
• Broxbourne electoral pilot scheme report and Broxbourne pilot statutory Order
• Dover electoral pilot scheme report and Dover pilot statutory Order
• Gateshead electoral pilot scheme report and Gateshead pilot statutory Order
• Rushmoor electoral pilot scheme report and Rushmoor pilot statutory Order
• Sheffield electoral pilot scheme report and Sheffield pilot statutory Order
• Shrewsbury & Atcham electoral pilot scheme report and Shrewsbury & Atcham pilot statutory Order
• South Bucks electoral pilot scheme report and South Bucks pilot statutory Order
• Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick electoral pilot scheme report and Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick pilot statutory Order
• Sunderland electoral pilot scheme report and Sunderland pilot statutory Order
• Swindon electoral pilot scheme report and Swindon pilot statutory Order

We have identified several challenges that we believe must be addressed before consideration is given to any future piloting of electoral innovations at local elections. Further, we have also made a number of recommendations about the different types of pilot schemes trialled at the May 2007 elections. You can download our summary reports below.

• Key findings and recommendations summary paper
• Electronic counting summary paper
• Electronic voting summary paper
• Advanced voting summary paper
• Signing in polling stations summary paper

To support our evaluation we procured the services of Ovum, Actica Consulting, PA Consulting and ICM. Copies of the Ovum and Actica reports are available to download below.

Electronic Counting (Technical Reports)

• Ovum's overarching report 
• Ovum's report on the Bedford pilot scheme
• Ovum's report on the Breckland pilot scheme
• Ovum's report on the Dover pilot scheme
• Ovum's report on the Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick
• Ovum's report on the South Bucks pilot scheme

Electronic Voting (Technical Reports)

• Actica's overarching report

• Actica's report on the Rushmoor pilot scheme

• Actica's report on the Sheffield pilot scheme

• Actica's report on the Shrewsbury & Atcham pilot scheme

• Actica's report on the South Bucks pilot scheme 

  Actica's report on the Swindon pilot scheme

• PA Consulting's overarching report
• PA Consulting's report on all the voter-facing pilots
  

Research report

• ICM's research report on the 2007 pilot schemes

Which innovations were the 2007 pilot schemes trialling?

Pilot schemes at the May 2007 local elections trialled the following innovations:

• electronic voting using the internet
• electronic voting using the telephone
• advance voting at designated polling stations, also known as early voting
• allowing electors to vote in any polling station on polling day
• the electronic counting of votes
• a requirement for electors to sign before receiving a ballot paper in polling stations

Enquiries

Should you have any other queries, please e-mail the Pilots Team or telephone 0207 271 0705.

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