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The Electoral Commission, the independent elections watchdog, has published its report on the elections to the National Assembly for Wales which took place on the 5 May 2011.

Darllenwch y Gymraeg / Read in Welsh

Our research showed that 90% of voters were confident that the election was well-run. 97% of those who voted in polling stations and 98% of those who voted by post were satisfied with the experience .This is despite the combination of the Assembly election with the referendum on the UK Parliamentary voting system on 5 May, which presented a unique set of challenges in the planning and preparation for Returning Officers across Wales.

The combined polls also meant that the coordination and consistency in place for the referendum, which included setting limits on the maximum number of voters per polling station and requiring polling stations to be adequately staffed, had knock on benefits for the National Assembly Elections and may have contributed to the high level of voter satisfaction. The Electoral Commission have also today published a detailed report on the Parliamentary voting system referendum.

We recognise that the smooth delivery of the election was somewhat overshadowed by the disqualification of two Assembly Members and in the report we include an account of what happened; our apology and what we are doing to ensure this  never happens again.

Our report also refers to the issue of the timing of the election count which was a major issue for candidates, political parties, broadcasters and elections staff in the run-up to 5 May. Although the Commission has no role in determining the timing of election counts, it is clear that this subject does need to be addressed. The Commission will be asking those with an interest in the timing of the count, such as Returning Officers, political parties , broadcasters and voters, for their views on this issue and we aim to make a recommendation in the first half of 2012.

Another issue was the format of the regional ballot paper, which had been revised ahead of these elections. The Electoral Commission will consider this matter further with those interested partners and make any necessary recommendations before the next set of elections to the National Assembly for Wales in 2016.

“We are pleased that voters were positive about their experience of voting in the elections to the National Assembly for Wales, both in polling stations and by post. We are aware that there were areas which caused concern however, such as the timing of the count and the disqualification of the two elected candidates, and we are committed to focussing on these issues to ensure that we do not see a repeat of them.

“I would like to thank all the Returning Officers and election staff across Wales who helped ensure not only the smooth running of the Assembly elections but also two well administered referendums in 2011.”

ENDS

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Notes to editors:

1. The full report is available to download from the Electoral Commission’s website here: Read the full election report
2. The report contains information on  voters’ experience; data about the election, including the level of postal voting in different parts of Wales; analysis of number of candidates and candidate issues; and a comparative table showing how long each constituency and region took to verify and count votes.
3. The Commission will also publish details of candidate spending at the Welsh Assembly Elections on Wednesday 19 October at 11am. These will be available here: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/party-finance/party-finance-analysis/campaign-expenditure 
4. The data is based on interviews with 1,001 adults aged 18+ across Wales.
5. Interviewing was conducted by ICM across the UK and took place between 7 and 23 May 2011.
6. The Commission’s report on the Referendum on the law-making powers of the National Assembly for Wales was launched on the 13 July 2011 with a similar report on the referendum on the Parliamentary Voting System having been launched yesterday (Tuesday 18 October 2011).
7. The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. Our aim is integrity and public confidence in the UK’s democratic process. We regulate party and election finance and set standards for well-run elections.