More than half of candidates claim they were abused or intimidated during election campaign

13 November 2024, 00:02 | Updated: 13 November 2024, 00:08

A report has found that July's general election had "unacceptable levels of abuse and intimidation of candidates".

The new report by the Electoral Commissio found just over half of candidates (55%) said they were abused or intimidated during the election campaign - with women and ethnic minorities particularly targeted.

The Commission recommends a number of ways to address the issue such as police taking election-related intimidation seriously and political parties sanctioning members who harass or abuse campaigners.

The CEO stated the matter requires "urgent and coordinated action".

"Those standing for public office should not be subjected to abuse," he said.

However, he also added that the vast majority of voters had a "positive experience" of voting at the election.

'Concerning'

Vijay Rangarajan, Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission, said: “It is encouraging that UK voters retain high levels of confidence in the electoral system, and the vast majority had a positive experience of voting at the general election.

"However, that wasn’t the case for everyone, with some postal and overseas voters unable to participate as they should. We will work with governments and others to improve the system.  

“The level of harassment and intimidation faced by candidates is particularly concerning, and requires urgent and coordinated action.

"Those standing for public office should not be subjected to abuse.

"It is deterring some people from standing to be candidates, and inhibiting how some engage with voters – both of which risk weakening our robust democratic debate. We’ll work with partners to implement effective solutions.

“There is now a window of opportunity to make these crucial improvements, ahead of the 2026 Welsh and Scottish elections, and a future UK general election.”

The Commission said it will support the Speaker’s Conference and co-ordinated action by a range of partners to tackle candidate abuse and intimidation:

• Police forces and prosecutors should continue to treat allegations and cases of election-related intimidation seriously. Those committing offences against candidates and campaigners should face significant sanction
• Political parties should ensure that membership rules emphasise respect for other campaigners, and take appropriate action to sanction members found to have abused or harassed campaigners
• Social media and online platforms should help develop improved screening tools for candidates’ digital profiles, to remove abusive content and identify perpetrators.

To ensure voters can vote easily and securely, the Commission also recommends:

• Revising the deadline for applications for postal votes and introducing more voting options for those who do not receive theirs on time
• Reforming how overseas voters receive ballot papers, and testing options such as voting in embassies and consulates
• Expanding the list of ID accepted at polling stations, such as the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card and the 18+ Student Oyster photocard, and digital IDs.

The full report can be found here