Low turnout at election ‘a crisis for democracy’
CONCERNS have been expressed about the low turnout in this month’s Senedd election, with evidence emerging that the poorest communities had the lowest turnout of all.
Jamie Jenkins, a statistician, has published on social media documents which show a breakdown of turnout by polling station in the neighbouring seats of Ogmore and Bridgend.
In Ogmore the polling station with the lowest turnout was at Gilfach Goch, a former mining village which unlike most of the constituency is in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
The turnout at Gilfach Goch Community Centre in the Senedd election was just 25.98%.
Three other polling stations in Ogmore also had turnouts of under 30%: Bettws Life Centre had a turnout of 27.52%, Sarn and Bryncethin Community Centre of 29.01% and Evanstown Welfare Park of 29.48%.
The overall turnout in Ogmore was 41.95%.
In the Bridgend seat, the lowest turnout was 29.95% at Westward Community Centre at 29.94%.
The overall turnout in Bridgend was 45.03%
Across Wales as a whole the turnout was 47%.
Swansea East had the lowest turnout at 35% with Cardiff North the highest at 58%.
Since democratic devolution began in 1999, the turnout at a National Assembly – now Senedd –election has never reached 50%.
Former Bridgend council Labour leader Jeff Jones said: “I think it’s extremely worrying for democracy that the turnout is so low.
“The Senedd isn’t a local council but makes laws which govern people’s lives and it is shocking that the turnout figures are as low as they are.
“If the turnout was that low in France and Italy, there would be all manner of articles written about how democracy was being undermined.
“Unfortunately, politicians are content simply to win. Instead, they should ask themselves why the majority of people don’t bother.”
Mr Jones said for the poorest people, the Senedd didn’t appear to offer an improvement to their lives.
“If you look at the number of votes cast last week and compare the figures to the votes 30 years ago, there has been a tremendous drop.”
Mr Jones pointed out that in 1992, the then Labour MP Ray Powell received 30,186 votes.
“Last week Huw Irranca-Davies was elected with just 12,868 votes.
“So far as I am concerned, this is a crisis for democracy.”
Mr Irranca-Davies, who was re-elected to represent Ogmore, said: “We can see across Wales how much more all political parties still need to do to improve turnout, especially in those seats where there is traditionally a dominant political party.
“Short of further electoral reform, this will always be a challenge.”
Jess Blair, director of the Electoral Reform Society in Wales, said: “The UK
Government has just announced plans to introduce compulsory voter ID at polling stations – something we see as unnecessary.
“Instead of that, we would rather see the introduction of measures aimed at increasing voter engagement and turnout.”