Welsh Government say ‘clear intention’ to hold elections on May 6th – with ‘final resort’ planning taking place to postpone

The First Minister has restated his intention to hold planned elections in May, saying “I want an election on 6 May. I think that is the right thing to do, I think the Senedd badly needs a democratic refresh.”

First Minister Mark Drakeford was addressing a Plenary session yesterday that included a statement from him on the outcome of the cross party Election Planning Group, whose report he had considered.

The Election Planning Group was made up of representatives of a range of organisations involved in the elections, political parties, other stakeholders and Welsh Government officials – to consider the potential impact of Coronavirus measures on the administration of the election and in particular any implications in relation to the underpinning legislative provision.

The First Minister said, “The Senedd elections in 2021 would have been historic anyway. This is the first election held under laws made here in Wales. For the first time in Wales, young people of 16 and 17 years of age and qualifying foreign nationals will have a democratic right to vote on their future. But, the coronavirus pandemic has posed major challenges in terms of the safety and accuracy of the election, and to make the situation yet more complex, the UK Government has postponed elections for police and crime commissioners. Therefore, they will be held on the same day as the Senedd elections.”

“I would like to take this opportunity to say once again that it’s the Government’s clear intention to hold the elections on 6 May next year. Later this month, we will be bringing forward legislation to make business-as-usual changes to the behaviour Order, which notes the rules and regulations for the elections.”

Due to the ongoing pandemic preparations are also being made incase the situation gets worse, meaning previously mooted postponements will be built into plans, and would be activated as a last resort.

The First Minister explained, “We are focused on enabling the elections to happen as planned, but it would be irresponsible of us not to make plans in case the pandemic is so serious in May of next year where it wouldn’t be safe to hold an election. Yesterday, the Scottish Government introduced a Bill that would enable the Speaker of the Scottish Parliament to postpone the election if necessary because of coronavirus. I can confirm that we, too, are preparing to draft a Bill in order to make similar provision.”

Such a move would require two thirds of the Senedd to agree to the move, a ‘super majority’ vote: “I realise that providing powers to the Llywydd to postpone the elections for up to six months will be a major constitutional step, therefore, if necessary, we will consider measures to safeguard the situation. These could include requirements for consultation in order to ensure that the Llywydd receives the most recent advice and information on public health issues, also confirmation from the Senedd through a supermajority vote—a two-thirds majority vote—before that power could be exercised.”

Welsh Conservative Leader Paul Davies MS responded on the whole welcoming the move, but did note that elections had been held elsewhere during the pandemic, “It is clear that there was consensus on a range of issues, crucially, there is agreement that the elections should take place on 6 May next year. There’s no reason why the elections can’t take place on 6 May given that Spain, Poland, France and South Korea held some elections safely during this pandemic. In some of these areas which have held elections, virus transmission rates did not go up, but, of course, I accept that, here in Wales, we need to put measures in place to ensure that these elections are safe and secure.”

Mr Davies specifically queried postal voting, a topic Wrexham.com asked at the lunchtime Welsh Government briefings on November 6th, and enquired how that process would work as well as proxy voting.

The First Minister responded, “We know that there are people in Wales who fear for their own health because of coronavirus. I hope they will use a postal vote, but for some people, going to the polling station and casting your vote in person is a very important part of their contribution to democracy, and I want them to be able to do that in May of next year free of the fear that they may put themselves at risk by doing so, and extended days of being able to vote simply offer people those options to go at quieter times, not to feel that they will be queueing up with lots of other people.”

“I don’t share the leader of the opposition’s concerns about extended proxy voting, but he echoes, we know, that voter-suppression theme that his party has adopted from their friends over in America. I am determined that, in holding an election in May of next year, we will do everything we can to make sure that every single Welsh citizen who wishes to participate can do so and can exercise their democratic rights, and that is the side of the argument that the Welsh Government will weigh in on.”

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price welcomed the move for a ‘super majority’, “I would agree with the suggestion that a two thirds majority should be required to pass any change, safeguarding the principle that there should be broad-ranging support beyond the party of Government in making any changes to electoral arrangements.”

Many Members of the Senedd who spoke stated they firmly believed an election should take place as planned in May next year, with the First Minister rounding up the debate stating: “We are barely two weeks out of the firebreak period we had here in Wales, where people were enjoined to stay at home and not to leave their homes other than for a very limited number of reasons. Is it possible for anybody in this Senedd to be so completely confident that they know the course of coronavirus over the months ahead that they can say to us without any doubt at all that we may not face those sorts of difficulties again next year?”

“I absolutely want an election on 6 May, but it would not be responsible—it would simply not be responsible not to come to the Senedd with proposals that would allow our election to take place in a safe way, in an orderly way and with the best possible chance that people in Wales will feel able to take part in it.”

“Adam Price said we can’t take anything for granted, and I just agree with that. I think it is a sensible, responsible precaution to take.”