election-law_gl-digest Saturday, January 19 2002 Volume 01 : Number 125
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Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2002 08:56:37 -0000
From: "Richard Lung" <richard.lung@ic24.net>
Subject: Re: UK to hold first internet elections.
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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To election law members,
The big drop of turnout at the last UK general election suggests it is =
heading=20
for American levels of uninvolvement.
But the reason why the Labour government wants to try for internet =
voting at the next general elections may have to do with the likes of an =
ICM poll for BBC radio 4's Today program ( 8 aug. 01 ).
Of those not voting on june 6 2001, 19% would have supported the Tories.
53% stay-at-homes would have voted Labour.
This unexpected finding meant that a return to previous turn-out levels =
might have boosted Labor's majority from 167 seats to 200 or 215.
The government's motive may seem irrelevant to a procedural reform =
likely to=20
come sooner or later, anyway, and have possibly unintended consequences, =
such as on-line initiatives. Not to mention security problems, such as =
warned by Roger Penrose, in Shadows of the Mind.=20
However, motives are worth taking into account.
The UK government presides over half a dozen undemocratic voting methods =
where one democratic method would do.
If worthwhile democratic firsts are to be claimed, Eire is the first and =
virtually the only country in the world to use the democratic voting =
method at all levels of government.
Yours sincerely,
Richard Lung.
http://www.democracyscience.ic24.net
http://lit4lib.artshost.com
richard.lung@ic24.net
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>To election law members,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The big drop of turnout at the last UK =
general=20
election suggests it is heading </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>for American levels of =
uninvolvement.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>But the reason why the Labour =
government wants to=20
try for internet voting at the next general elections may have to do =
with the=20
likes of an ICM poll for BBC radio 4's Today program ( 8 aug. 01 =
).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Of those not voting on june 6 2001, 19% =
would have=20
supported the Tories.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>53% stay-at-homes would have voted=20
Labour.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>This unexpected finding meant that a =
return to=20
previous turn-out levels might have boosted Labor's majority from 167 =
seats to=20
200 or 215.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The government's motive may seem =
irrelevant to a=20
procedural reform likely to </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>come sooner or later, anyway, and have =
possibly=20
unintended consequences, such as on-line initiatives. Not to mention =
security=20
problems, such as warned by Roger Penrose, in <EM>Shadows of the =
Mind.</EM>=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>However, motives <EM>are</EM> worth =
taking into=20
account.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The UK government presides over half a =
dozen=20
undemocratic voting methods where one democratic method would =
do.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>If worthwhile democratic firsts are to =
be claimed,=20
Eire is the first and virtually the only country in the world to =
use the=20
democratic voting method at all levels of government.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Yours sincerely,<BR>Richard =
Lung.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://www.democracyscience.ic24.net">http://www.democracyscience=
.ic24.net</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"http://lit4lib.artshost.com">http://lit4lib.artshost.com</A></FON=
T></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
href=3D"mailto:richard.lung@ic24.net">richard.lung@ic24.net</A></FONT></D=
IV></BODY></HTML>
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End of election-law_gl-digest V1 #125
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