Useful Links
Links to other sites
The Association is not the only body with an interest or involvement in electoral matters. Over the years, the Association has developed relationships and understandings with a wide range of bodies, both formal and informal, and in the following paragraphs, some details are given of those bodies and their particular areas of interest or concern.
The Ace Project
A joint project of the United Nations, International IDEA and IFES.
The ACE Electoral Knowledge Network www.aceproject.org – the next generation of the Administration and Cost of Elections Web site — is now live. With the launch of the Network, we make available new tools and resources for electoral practitioners around the world. The new Web site provides a ready environment for professionals to generate, share and apply knowledge on managing elections.
New features include:
- An updated ACE Encyclopaedia that includes authoritative resources on electoral administration
- An interactive Comparative Data Section that allows you to compare data from different countries
- An online collection of Electoral Materials that includes reports, manuals and other hands-on materials from around the world that is searchable by region, document type or topic area
- An online newsletter (Elections Today) that provides the latest news on elections around the world
- Access to Regional and Country-level Resources
- An Online Demonstration of several features that enable professionals to interact and build knowledge on elections administration.
Visit ACE today at www.aceproject.org.
To receive additional information about the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network, please visit www.ace.at.org/registration.
ERIS
The Association has forged strong links with Electoral Reform International Services (ERIS) and has supplied many observers, monitors and consultants to assist in elections overseas. The qualities of teams supplied by ERIS are recognised as professional and experienced personnel with many members engaged directly in the electoral process in this country. The Association recognises the need to develop this partnership and ensure that members are involved in enhancing this area of work.
Hansard Society for Parliamentary Government
The Society exists to promote research, discussion and greater public understanding of all issues affecting parliamentary government. From time to time, the Society arranges public meetings on subjects of topical interest, and has also arranged to assist the study of particular topics in greater depth. The AEA Chairman and Secretary are members of the Society and thus receive all papers, etc., which are available at all times to any interested member.
The Society and the Association have collaborated on programmes to promote greater understanding of electoral issues amongst school students, and in June 1997 organised a joint one-day event to study the lessons of the May 1997 General Election.
Central Government
The Ministry of Justice (formerly the Lord Chancellor's Department and Department of Constitutional Affairs) has responsibility for policy, including for reform and modernisation, for House of Commons and all elections in England and Wales, and for co-ordination on UK wide electoral matters. The DCA also has responsibility for all issues covered by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (liaising as appropriate with the Scotland Office and Northern Ireland Office). These include generic issues associated with national and regional referendums, the registering of political parties, rules on donations to political parties and third party donations.
The Department for Communities and Local Government (formerly the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) is responsible for when local government elections are held - i.e. for the cycle of local elections to local authorities in England. It is also responsible for the legislation that governs the review and updating of electoral arrangements within local authorities. Responsibility for all other aspects of local government elections has passed to the Ministry of Justice.
The Association maintains close links with Ministers and Civil Servants in both of the aforementioned departments.
The UK Government, in particular the Secretary of State for Scotland, has responsibility for the conduct and funding of elections to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Parliament and Executive are responsible for local government elections in Scotland, including electoral systems and the timing and administration of elections.
The UK Government, in particular the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has responsibility for electoral law relating to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Northern Ireland Office has responsibility for all local elections in Northern Ireland.
The UK Government, in particular the Secretary of State for Wales, has responsibility for electoral law relating to the National Assembly for Wales.
The Electoral Commission
www.electoralcommission.org.uk
The Association has established a close working relationship with the Electoral Commission.
The Commission is a body independent of government, nonpartisan and directly accountable to Parliament. The appointment of the Chairman and Commissioners is subject to approval by HM The Queen.
The Commission has a United Kingdom wide brief. Its functions are concerned with the new regulatory framework for the reporting of donations, the ban on foreign donations and the controls on campaign spending at parliamentary and other elections. It will maintain the register of political parties and regulate how they account for their income and expenditure. The Commission has supervisory powers to monitor compliance with the new arrangements.
Its statutory duties include:
- Publishing reports on the administration of elections
- Conducting reviews of the law and practice relating to elections and referendums
- Promoting awareness of electoral and democratic systems
- Being consulted on proposed changes to electoral law
- Giving advice and assistance to those involved in the electoral process
- Participation in pilot schemes for innovative electoral procedures
- Conducting national referendums
- Advising on matters relating to political broadcasting
- Monitoring compliance with the controls on election campaign spending
- Maintaining the register of political parties
- Maintaining the register of recognised third parties
- Maintaining the register of permitted participants in a referendum
- Maintaining a register of those making political donations
The Commission has absorbed the functions of the Local Government Commission for England which had responsibility for reviewing local electoral boundaries. The functions of the corresponding bodies in Scotland and Wales to be transferred to the Commission subject to the agreement of the devolved legislatures.
In the longer term the Commission will absorb the functions of the bodies responsible for reviewing parliamentary boundaries in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The Commission is required to issue an annual report.
ACEEEO
The Association is an active member of Association of Central and Eastern European Election Officials.
SOLACE
The Association successfully collaborates with SOLACE (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) on a range of training and associated projects to ensure that the highest quality materials and training are available to all involved in the administration of elections in the UK.
The Commonwealth
The Association nominates members for selection as members of Commonwealth Election Observer Groups and Technical Assistance Teams. The Association also takes part in election workshops organised by the Commonwealth and assists the Commonwealth in other ways.
LGC Elections Centre - University of Plymouth
The Local Government Chronicle Elections Centre at the University of Plymouth was established in 1985. Its directors are Professor Colin Rallings and Professor Michael Thrasher.
The Centre aims to compile, analyse and publish information relating to all aspects of electoral politics in Britain. It has built a substantial reputation for the quality and reliability of its work in both the academic and applied fields. The Centre's research was 'flagged' for its quality by both the 1996 and 2001 Research Assessment Exercises (RAE).
Political Science Resources
This is a very interesting and useful facility with a wealth of information, reports and articles on a wide range of issues associated with politics both in the UK and abroad, including a section on electoral matters.