Questions relating to elections and referendums are at the heart of political reform debates in the UK and around the world. How can low levels of voter participation in elections be addressed? How can electoral institutions best be adapted in response to voters’ changing expectations? Do referendums contribute positively to a healthy democratic system and could they be run differently to improve their operation? Constitution Unit research has addressed these questions and more.
Throughout the 2024 general election campaign, and after, the Constitution Unit provided analysis of key constitutional issues and the parties' policies in relation to these.
A project examining how any future referendum on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland would be best designed and conducted. The project ran between 2019 and 2021.
Research into how we can improve the quality of information that is available during election and referendum campaigns and help voters to access it. This project lasted between 2017 and 2019.
An independent commission of senior figures established to review the role of referendums in British democracy and consider how the rules and practice could be improved. It lasted between 2017 and 2018.
Close
