Guest 'Bloggers' debate the AV (Alternative Vote)

HU12 IS DELIGHTED to have two guests writing articles for our debate on AV over on our Ward Election News pages.

Writing for the YES! to Fairer Votes Campaign is Hannah Arnold who is the Chair of the Campaign in Hull. In her article Hannah explains what she sees as the unfairness of the current FPTP system (First Past The Post) because MPs are elected with only 35% of people voting for them in some cases. She claims the AV system is as simple as counting up to three.

The NO to AV campaigner is Conservative MP Robert Goodwill. He claims that AV is unpopular and complicated with only three countries in the world using the system. He says that the only parties to benefit from a change in the system would be Liberals and extremists.

Thanks to our guest 'bloggers' for contributing to this important national debate. If you want to know more about the Referendum and the local South West Holderness Elections 2011 then visit our Ward Election News pages.

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Elections 2011 begin - key information from the East Riding Council

THE LOCAL ELECTIONS will be held on Thursday, 5 May. All 26 East Riding of Yorkshire Council wards will be contested, returning a total of 67 councillors, together with more than 1500 seats on town and parish councils in the area.

The notice of election has been published and the council will publish a statement of persons nominated no later than noon next week on Wednesday, 6 April. The closing date for nominations is noon on Monday, 4 April, with the final deadline for withdrawals noon on Thursday, 7 April.

The other key date is on Thursday, 14 April, which is the last day for requesting a new postal or proxy vote, which must be done by 5pm. Thursday 14 April is also the deadline for people to apply to be included on the register of electors. All registered electors will receive poll cards including those in receipt of a postal vote.

The national referendum on the AV (Alternative Vote) voting system also takes place on Thursday, 5 May. All polling booths will be open from 7am to 10 pm.

The votes for both elections will be ‘verified’ (ie establishing the number of votes cast checked against ballot papers issued) on the Thursday night but the count and declaration of results will not take place until Friday, 6 May. East Riding of Yorkshire Council election votes will be counted from 9am on the Friday at the four count centres (Beverley, Driffield, Goole and Haltemprice leisure centres). The town and parish council votes will also be counted at these venues.

The referendum results on AV will then be notified to Wakefield town hall for the regional declaration on Friday night.

Issued by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

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