The Electoral Commission announced today that one of the worlds leading electoral administration experts, Ron Gould, has agreed to head its review of the Scottish elections.

Mr Gould is an international authority on the organisation and management of elections. From 1981 until his retirement in 2001, he has led and participated in more than 100 election observation missions in over 70 countries, and advised the United Nations, the Commonwealth and governments around the world.

The Electoral Commission has a statutory duty to report on the Scottish Parliamentary elections, and, following a request by the Scottish Executive, will report on the local elections as well.

The Commission has asked Mr Gould to review all aspects of the elections but with a particular focus on:

• The high number of rejected ballots
• The electronic counting process
• The arrangements for postal voting
• The decision to hold the parliamentary and local government polls on the same day
• The decision to combine the two parliamentary votes on one ballot sheet
• The process by which key decisions were made
• The role of the Electoral Commission itself in the preparations for the elections

Sam Younger, Chairman of the Electoral Commission, said:

'Ron Gould is widely respected as one of the worlds leading elections experts and he will undertake a thorough and independent review of all aspects of the elections in Scotland, including those areas where the law gives the Commission itself a role'.

Ron Gould said:

'I look forward to working with all those involved in the Scottish elections to enable us to develop a clear picture of exactly what happened and why. Democracy depends on public confidence in elections. I hope my review will help ensure that the people of Scotland can be confident that any lessons are learned for the future'.

/ends

Notes to editors:

1. The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. Our aim is integrity and public confidence in the UKs democratic process. We regulate party and election finance and set standards for well-run elections.
2. Ron Gould CM is a former Assistant Chief Electoral Officer of Canada. He has participated in more than 100 election assistance missions in over 70 countries since 1984. Mr Gould is considered one of the leading world experts on the organization and management of elections.

Mr Gould joined the Public Service of Canada in 1955 and worked for a variety of departments and agencies. From 1981, he was the Assistant Chief Electoral Officer at Elections Canada, a statutory role under the Canada Elections Act. Elections Canada is responsible for the conduct of federal elections and referendums, the registration of electors and the regulation of political party finance.

Mr Gould has worked for the United Nations, the Commonwealth, the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe, the Organisation of American States and the Carter Centre. In 1997, he joined the Stockholm based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) on a half-time basis.

Among his key international assignments are

o        a member of the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa at the first democratic election in 1994;

o        the head of the OSCE Elections Missions in Bosnia in 1995 and 1996;

o        the head of the Bulgarian Election Assessment Mission in 2006;

o        member of OSCE missions in Northern Ireland in 2003, Spain and the USA in 2004; and the UK in 2005;

o        for the UN, director of UN Electoral Observation Mission in Mozambique in 1994; head of the UN election design mission in Cambodia 1991; member of the election observation teams in Guatemala and Honduras in 1985 and 1990; a member of the UN electoral assessment team in Algeria in 1997.

He has been President of the Council of Governmental Ethics Laws. As well as being made a member of the Order of Canada he received the Outstanding Service Award from the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws; the Medal of Honor from the United Nations Association of Canada; the Canadian Peacekeeping Medal; the Queens Jubilee Medal; and the 10 Years of Democracy in South Africa award. Gould has published one book entitled "A Guide for Election Observers" and he was one of the three authors of "Strengthening Democracy: A Parliamentary Perspective", which was published in 1995. He graduated from Toronto University, and has undertaken specific studies at Laval University, Carleton University, McGill University, Queen's University and at the Public Service Commission in Canada.

For further information please contact:

Tel: 0131 556 0770

Email: elections@pagodapr.com   

Outside office hours: 07703 258834