EA Bulletin: 368 Scotland

This April, the Electoral Commission launches a new five-year strategy. The aim of the plan and everything we do, will be to help people trust, value and take part in elections.  

In addition to delivering the breadth of our core work, we have identified five key priorities during this period.  

• Supporting voters and increasing participation
• Modernising the electoral system
• Safeguarding and protecting the system
• Leading an informed debate about the future of elections
• Strengthening the Electoral Commission 

These priorities have been developed in direct response to the data and evidence we have gathered and published, and through listening to the concerns of voters, parties, candidates and administrators. It also includes our new vision and values. These were developed through the input and views of a wide range of stakeholders, including a number of administrators who contributed their insight. Many thanks to all those that took part.  

We look forward to working closely with the sector in the coming years to deliver these aims and support a healthy democracy. This includes our aim to address long-standing problems created by outdated, complex and inconsistent electoral law, and to protect electoral administrators from abuse or intimidation.   

We have recently updated the process for reporting any missing or incorrect imprints. Since the start of April, all reports of potential missing or incorrect imprints (digital or print) can now be made through a single portal.

Please share the link above with anyone who wishes to report or make any allegation regarding imprints.

Where it appears there is a missing, incomplete, or non-compliant imprint, our first step is to proactively contact the campaigner and ask them to amend the materials. We proactively support campaigners to comply with the law around imprints by providing advice and guidance. This includes material that we do not regulate such as candidate’s materials.

Where we have enforcement powers, and we consider it appropriate under our Enforcement Policy, we may open an investigation.  

In cases where the police have enforcement powers, following our contact with the campaigner, we can provide information to the relevant police force upon their request.  

In any event, where an enquirer provides contact details, we will provide them with information regarding the outcome of their report.