Voters want electoral reform, but split on what system to switch to – poll finds

Voters want to see a change in the voting system, but are unsure what it should be changed to, a new poll has found.

The poll, conducted by The Messina Group, found that 43 percent of voters think the number of seats a party wins at a general election should reflect vote shares, compared to 27 percent backing the current system.

Only around a third (38 percent) said they were satisfied with the current voting system, with 23 percent dissatisfied and 30 percent neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.

However, when polled on support for specific voting systems, first-past-the-post was the most favoured option, with 42 percent support.

Of the alternatives, open list proportional representation received support from 36 percent, while the alternative vote system – rejected in a referendum in 2011 – was backed by 33 percent, and the supplementary vote and closed list proportional representation were supported by 32 percent each.

It comes after Andy Burnham announced the creation of a National Commission on Electoral Reform in his conference speech last week.

He said: “We will all have failed in our public duties if we carry on as we are and open the door of Number 10 to a divisive government on less than 30 percent of the vote.

“Conference, in past years you have voted twice to support electoral reform. I hear you, I agree with you and I am announcing a new National Commission on electoral reform. I invite all the political parties to be part of its work.

“We will contest the next election with a manifesto commitment to change the electoral system so that everyone’s vote counts and everyone’s voice is heard.”

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The poll also found that two-thirds (66 percent) believe there should be some form of public mandate for a change in the voting system,

Some 34 percent of voters said a change in the voting system should require a referendum, while 32 percent said winning an election with a manifesto commitment to change the system would be sufficient. 

Only 11 percent said MPs should be able to reform the voting system without any sort of public consultation.

Labour led in voting intention under five different voting systems, with the widest lead over Reform under the open list PR system.

Justin Lines, deputy director of international campaigns for The Messina Group, said: “Electoral reform has traditionally been expected to disadvantage the major parties. Our research suggests the picture is more complex in a more fragmented party system. Labour led on first preferences under each of the voting systems we tested.”

The Messina Group surveyed 11,400 voters between September 12 and 24, with data weighted to gender, age, region, education, ethnicity, and their votes in the 2024 general election and 2016 EU referendum.

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