The effects of centralising electoral management board design

The public administration of elections frequently fails. Variation in the performance of electoral management boards around the world has been demonstrated, illustrated by delays in the count, inaccurate or incomplete voter registers, or severe queues at polling stations. Centralising the management of the electoral process has often been proposed as a solution. There has been little theorisation and no empirical investigations into the effects that centralising an already decentralised system would have, however. This article addresses this lacuna by conceptualising centralisation through the literature on bureaucratic control and discretion. It then empirically investigates the effects through a case study of centralisation in two UK referendums. Semi-structured interviews were used with those who devised the policy instrument and those who were subject to it. The introduction of central directions had some of the desired effects such as producing more consistent services and eliminating errors. It also had side effects, however, such as reducing economic efficiency in some areas and overlooking local knowledge. Furthermore, the reforms caused a decline of staff morale, job satisfaction and souring of relations among stakeholder organisations. The process of making organisational change therefore warrants closer attention by policy makers and future scholarship on electoral integrity

The Tomb 1918-1963: the first female MPs

The book is the companion guidebook published in association with the 'Voice and Vote' exhibition in Westminster Hall in 2018. It includes comment on the role of women in Parliament from the 18th century onwards, the campaign for votes for women and the representation of women in the House of Commons and House of Lords

The Northern Ireland (Monitoring Commission etc) Bill [HL] Bill 158 0f 2002-3

Title from cover. Also available via the InternetAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:7752. 135(03/69) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Officers of Parliament A comparative perspective

Title from cover. Also available via the InternetSIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:7752. 135(03/77) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Parliamentary audit scrutiny Innovative and effective?

Includes bibliographical referencesAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:m03/26821 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Officers of Parliament Transforming the role

Includes bibliographical referencesSIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:m03/26776 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo