This time tomorrow, the country will be flocking to the polls to select their first ever police commissioners. Or at least some of them will. Turnout has long predicted to be low, but the latest analysis by Sky’s psephologist Michael Trasher suggests it will come in between 15 and 20 per cent. Such a figure would be the lowest of any election in modern times (outside of London). As the Electoral Reform society notes, the current record stands from 1998 at 25 per cent.
Much of the apathy towards these elections can be blamed on poor public understanding of PCCs. Although a marketing push has been underway in the last few weeks, it appears to have made little impact. Last weekend, I took a straw poll of people in Newcastle to find out their views. Those I asked were either unaware of the elections or planned to spoil their ballot/not vote over the lack of campaigning effort from the candidates.
On a more scientific basis, the latest Sunday Times polling demonstrates what little impact the promotion of the elections has made.
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