Local Conservatives have triggered a consultation on how our local election voting system works. Currently we have the “thirds” system which in a three councillor ward one is elected each year over a four year cycle with one year off when county elections are held. The Conservative want to have one election for all seats every four years.
Stuart Jeffery, Maidstone Green Party: “While the move to whole council elections may save a little money, this will be harmful for democracy and that is price not worth paying.
“We try to engage with the electorate all year round but we often hear people say that the only time they see politicians from other parties is at election time. A move to elections every four years will therefore reduce the time that other parties engage with the voters. With a vote every 4 years other parties will pop out at election time and sit pretty until the next one with no real way for the electorate to express itself in any substantial way.
“We already have an appalling flawed democratic system and this proposal will make it less democratic. What we really need is proportional representation where people get a real say in who represents them.”
Please have your say here: https://maidstone.gov.uk/home/primary-services/council-and-democracy/primary-areas/consultations/live-consultations/whole-council-elections
