News releases

The Electoral Commission will offer all registered campaigners in the referendum on the law-making powers of the National Assembly for Wales the opportunity to reach voters through the Commission’s website for voters:  www.aboutmyvote.co.uk.

Kay Jenkins, Head of the Electoral Commission in Wales, said: “Following the announcement last week that we could not designate official lead campaigners for the referendum, we felt that it was important to seek campaigners’ views on how best to communicate the arguments of the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns to voters.

“We made our  decision today based on what is in the best interests of voters in this particular referendum, to ensure that they have a further opportunity to hear the arguments of the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ campaigns.

“We decided that the best way to do this is by providing information to voters through our website. We have offered all registered campaigners – including the two that applied to become lead campaigners – the opportunity to each place a short statement on the About My Vote website as well as a link to their own website.

“The Commission has already launched an extensive public information campaign, which includes sending an information booklet to every household in Wales. This will be supported by an advertising campaign on television, radio, online and in the press that will drive traffic to our www.aboutmyvote.co.uk website.

“Registered campaigners including political parties, individuals and trade unions will continue to campaign to ensure that their arguments are heard across Wales. Our work will provide plenty of opportunities for voters to learn more about how to take part in the referendum and also hear the arguments being made by campaigners.”

The Commission will now ask each registered campaigner to submit a statement of no more than 200 words which it will then place on a specially-designed page on its www.aboutmyvote.co.uk website, along with a link to their own website. Campaigners have the choice of providing both a statement and a link, or just one of these. Campaigners can provide the statements in both English and Welsh.

The information, which should set out their arguments in favour of voting ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, will be presented on the aboutmyvote.co.uk website in a way that makes clear to voters that the content of it is the responsibility of each registered campaigner. The statement will also need to meet with specific guidelines set by the Commission.

For more information

Office hours: 02920 346810
Out of office hours: 07789 920414

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 UK’s democratic process. We regulate party and election finance and set standards for well-run elections and are responsible for the conduct and regulations of referendums held under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (2000).
2. The Political Parties, Elections & Referendums Act 2000 gives the Electoral Commission other statutory responsibilities in relation to referendums. More details on our role in a referendum can be found here: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/elections/referendums
3. The Commission could not, by law designate lead campaigners for the referendum as the only applicant for the ‘No’ campaign did not meet a statutory test of adequately representing those campaigning for a ‘No’ vote.
4. The Government of Wales Act 2006 states that in the event that there are no lead campaigners for the referendum, the Commission has the discretion to “take such steps as they think appropriate to provide information…about the arguments for each answer to the referendum question.
5. A meeting of the Commission’s Board on 25 January 2011 decided to seek the views of registered campaigners on how to provide information to voters on the arguments of both sides of the campaign. A meeting of the Commission’s board on 1 February 2011 made a final decision on how to provide this information. A copy of the relevant Board papers can be found here: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/elections/upcoming-elections-and-referendums/wales/referendum
6. Jenny Watson is the Chief Counting Officer for the referendum and Max Caller CBE is the Commissioner who will deputise for her in the referendum. Ms Watson and Mr Caller withdrew themselves from this decision making process.
7. A list of the campaigners currently registered with the Electoral Commission for the National Assembly referendum can be found here:  http://registers.electoralcommission.org.uk/regulatory-issues/refpermparticpants.cfm
8. The Commission Board agreed in November 2009 that decisions on the extent of the Commission’s public awareness activity, including possible information on the meaning of a ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ vote in the referendum in the event that the Commission does not designate, should be made on a case-by-case basis.
9. The Commission started sending out its information booklet to voters from 31 January. A copy of the booklet is available on the Commission’s website: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/107513/Wales-referendum-booklet_English.pdf