ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the scope of the franchise, the importance of constituencies and discusses the voting system used for general elections. In a democratic state, the electoral process determines who will hold political office. The Election Commission is under a duty to promote public awareness about electoral and democratic systems, including the institutions of the European Union. The task of regulating constituency boundaries falls to the Boundary Commissions for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Under the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011, section 10, the Boundary Commissions are to report by October 2013, and thereafter every five years. Political advertisements are banned under the Communications Act 2003, section 321. With reference to the franchise, constituency boundaries and the legal rules relating to elections, evaluate the extent to which electoral law respects the constitutional principle of 'one person, one vote, one value'.
