|
The 2012 Police and Crime Commissioner elections were polls held in most police areas in England and Wales on Thursday 15 November.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011, Chapter 6, Holding of elections )〕 The direct election of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) was originally scheduled for May 2012 but was postponed in order to secure the passage of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 through the House of Lords. The Government considers the elected Commissioners to have a stronger mandate than the "unelected and invisible police authorities that they replace".〔(Written answers HANSARD ) Theyworkforyou.com〕 The elections took place alongside by-elections for the House of Commons in Cardiff South and Penarth, Corby and Manchester Central, and a mayoral election in Bristol. Police and Crime Commissioner elections were for 41 of the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales;〔1〕 only the City of London Police and Metropolitan Police were not involved (the elected Mayor of London is classed as the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police Area, while the Court of Common Council serves the role for the City Police〔(【引用サイトリンク】 London )〕). Elections for Police and Crime Commissioners did not take place in Scotland or Northern Ireland as policing and justice powers are devolved to the Scottish Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly. The elections were marked by very low turnouts, between 10–20%, and numbers of spoilt votes (somewhat higher than other elections under the same voting system〔(Spoilt Ballots in the PCC Elections: What Do the Numbers Tell Us? ), by Alan Renwick, 18 November 2012, Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Reading〕〔(Spoilt ballots point to protest in PCC elections, study suggests ), by Alan Travis, ''The Guardian'', 19 November 2012〕), sparking a debate about their legitimacy and organisation. The day after the election, former Home Secretary Charles Clarke suggested that, because of the low turnout and high number of spoilt ballot papers, there was no popular mandate for the new commissioners. The Electoral Commission said that it would be reviewing the results. ==Election details== Commissioners have a set four-year term of office and a maximum of two terms.〔(Policing in the 21st Century: Reconnecting police and the people ) Home Office〕 The election took place using the supplementary vote system, with voters marking the ballot paper with their first and second choices of candidate. If no candidate got a majority of first preference votes, the top two candidates went on to a second round in which second preference votes of the eliminated candidates were allocated to them to produce a winner. This is the system used to elect London's mayor. Section 57 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 directs that the voting system is First past the post if there are only two candidates for a specific Commissioner region. (This was the case in the North Yorkshire, Staffordshire and Dyfed-Powys police force areas)〔(Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 ) Legislation.gov.uk〕 A dedicated website was launched providing information on all candidates〔(Theyworkforyou Written answers ) Theyworkforyou〕 from which voters could request hardcopy information leaflets printed to order.〔(Written Answers HANSARD ) Theyworkforyou.com〕〔(Written answerts HANSARD ) Theyworkforyou.com〕 All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in England and Wales (except London) who were aged 18 or over on Thursday 15 November 2012 were entitled to vote in the PCC elections.〔(Section 52 of the PRaSRA 2011 ) Legislation.gov.uk〕 Those who were temporarily away from their ordinary address (for example, away working, on holiday, in student accommodation or in hospital) could still vote in the PCC elections. Those who were registered to vote at more than one address (such as a university student who has a term-time address and lives at home during holidays) were entitled to vote in the PCC elections at ''each'' address, as long as they are not in the same police force area. The deadline to register to vote in the PCC elections was midnight on Wednesday 31 October 2012, though anyone who qualified as an anonymous elector had until midnight on Thursday 8 November 2012 to register. Nominations for candidates closed at midday on Friday 19 October 2012, and the official list of nominated candidates was published on Tuesday 23 October 2012.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 title=Police and Crime Commissioner Elections in England and Wales )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「England and Wales police and crime commissioner elections, 2012」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|