Findings from the Local e-Democracy National Project show the big challenge now for local politicians is to get closer to the electorate and keep voters interested in local issues. Just a third (36%) of British adults know who their local councillor is, two-thirds (67%) have never met their local ward representative and only 17% have presented their views to a councillor in the last two or three years.
The Local e-Democracy project believes councils need to engage more with citizens in between elections to increase community involvement and voter participation.
The project has identified a paradox at the heart of modern democracy in the UK which has seen citizens more interested in local issues and their communities and wanting to have a say in the way the country is run, but less and less of them taking part in local (and national) elections. The problem, according to the Local e-Democracy National Project, lies not in voting but in citizen engagement. To deliver improved lives in communities, the project argues, local councils must engage, represent and involve the citizens that they represent.
Councillor Mary Reid, chair of the Local e-Democracy National Project, argues: “New ways of voting may help in the drive to increase turnout at elections in some areas. But the watchword should actually be e-democracy. By encouraging participation in local issues outside of elections, citizens are more likely to consider voting and taking part in the overall political process, be it local or national. Key to this engagement is involvement in local democracy and councils and councillors must do more to support their citizens to take part.”
The findings are backed up by MORI research for the Electoral Commission’s Audit of Political Engagement (1). This shows that while turnout at the recent British General Election was 61%, around four in five are interested in national (77%) or local (81%) issues. Councillor Reid added: “As well as looking at how citizens vote, we need to get them involved in the way government works and local democracy is key to this. Citizens are more likely to feel more passionate about local issues and changes that affect them in ‘their backyard’. But even with local issues, citizens need to be encouraged to take part and technology can help deliver better, more direct communication between councils and citizens.”
Improving local democracy could also have an impact on the trust and reputation of councils. Listening and engaging are two key influences on levels of trust. Recent MORI research (3) shows that only 35% of British adults generally trust local councillors to tell the truth, and just 29% trust managers in local government.
The Local e-Democracy National Project provides the tools, techniques and expertise to enable councils to engage with citizens using technology. Products include a new a database of all councillors in the UK [www.councillor.gov.uk], e-petitioning, websites for the over 50s and other groups, and mobile phone games for young people to encourage citizenship skills.
(1) –MORI/Electoral Commission: An Audit of Political Engagement. MORI interviewed 2,065 UK adults aged 18+, face-to-face, in-home on the MORI Omnibus between 2 and 21 December 2004.
(2) –MORI/Green Issues Communication. MORI interviewed 1,067 British adults aged 15+, face-toface, in-home on the MORI Omnibus between 18 and 22 April 2002.
(3) –MORI interviewed 2,141 British adults aged 15+, face-to-face, in-home on the MORI Omnibus between 6 and 10 February 2003.
Notes for Editors:
For more information contact: Jane Ratford on 0207 296 6869; mob: 07799 768534; email: jane.ratford@idea.gov.uk
Full details about all MORI research can be found at www.mori.com or contact MORI on 020 7347 3000 or email press@mori.com
