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"We should not be afraid to try a new voting day that fits in better with people's busy lives, while also recognising the constraints of money and belief"

Michael Wills, Constitutional Renewal Minister

Scrapping the traditional Thursday vote is one option under consideration as part of the government's programme of constitutional renewal, which seeks to forge a new relationship between the citizen and the state.

Michael Wills, Constitutional Renewal Minister, said: "The reason elections are traditionally held on Thursdays is obscure. We should not be afraid to try a new voting day that fits in better with people's busy lives, while also recognising the constraints of money and belief."

The consultation debates moving the day of elections for general, local and European elections from Thursdays to the weekend and considers:

• whether changing election day to the weekend, and other measures to increase convenience, encourage non-voters to vote
• the practical issues, including the cost, of a move to weekend voting
• religious concerns
• whether the change of day would affect the security of elections
• the relationship between postal and online voting and turnout
• whether other ways of voting (e.g. remote, postal, internet and advance voting) are acceptable where weekend voting is difficult for religious or other reasons
• the benefits and drawbacks of online voting
• other ways of increasing the legitimacy of elections.

The election day consultation will run for 12 weeks.

Further information

The election day consultation paper can be foundon the Ministry of Justice website.

• Election day consultation paper (opens new window)