Venice Commission To Approve UK Election Practice Overhaul

Constitutional experts from the Council of Europe are set to give their approval to an overhaul of the United Kingdom’s code of practice for election observers.

The Venice Commission will rubberstamp its positive assessment of the updated code at its meeting in Venice, Italy, on 18 December.

Although the commission’s experts see the United Kingdom as being in the forefront of election observation, they will urge that the code becomes more user-friendly.

They will also recommend clarification of the conditions for the observation of the local government elections in Scotland and request greater police involvement in the issuance, receipt and transport of postal ballots.

Venice Comission's Agenda

Reference texts:

-          Venice Commission assessment of the UK electoral law (2007)

-          Venice Commission Code for elections observation