What Idiot thought of having PCC and Assembly Elections on the same day

Interesting us of words by the  the Electoral Reform Society (ERS)  who warn that

 The “wrong person” could get elected in the 2016 Assembly elections in a “car-crash for Welsh democracy” unless plans to hold the police and crime commissioners vote on the same day are scrapped,

According to the Wasting Mule on line The group claims that an election “clash” could “throw” the result of the Assembly vote. The ERS wants the police commissioner vote to be delayed for a year.It warns:

“If the clash goes ahead, voters could have to deal with three separate ballot papers using three different voting systems. The confusion could lead to an increase in spoilt ballot papers...

The argument is “With a close Assembly election in the offing, any increase in spoilt ballot papers could skew the results in marginal seats like Cardiff Central or Llanelli, which in turn could affect who forms the next Welsh Government.”

The ERS wants the UK Government to delay commissioner elections in Wales by a year and instead combine the police poll with the vote to choose new councillor.

It states: “Whilst far from ideal, ERS Cymru argues combining police and council polls would be the least disruptive option and avoid additional costs of holding police elections separately.”

Describing how a handful of votes could have changed the shape of the Assembly, the ERS states: “In 2011, Labour won Cardiff Central by 38 votes, beating the Liberal Democrats.”


It argues that if the Lib Dems had won Cardiff Central the fourth regional seat on the South Wales Central regional list would have gone to Plaid Cymru, leaving Labour fewer than half the Assembly’s 60 seats.
Call to scrap PCCs

Chris Elmore, Labour’s candidate in the Vale of Glamorgan, said: 

“As Yvette Cooper said on her visit to the Vale of Glamorgan, Labour will scrap PCCs and use the money to invest in frontline policing. The Tories ignored Labour’s warnings about the introduction of police and crime commissioners and spent millions adding unnecessary bureaucracy while slashing police numbers.
“Only a Labour Government will stop a clash by scrapping PCCs and invest the money saved back into our police forces.”

Only a Labout |Government  well any Goverment that is not Tory led would be truthful

Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Elfyn Llwyd said: 

“It makes no sense whatsoever to hold two polls on the same day. Plaid Cymru believes that police and crime commissioners should be abolished.
“It will be an unnecessary election for an unnecessary and wasteful role. The Assembly election is crucial for Wales and the run-up period must not be marred by confusion.”

That is the point why should our Assembly Elections be used to vote for PCC who most people don't want or vote for/

Steve Brooks, director of the Electoral Reform Society Cymru, said:

 “Combining the Assembly and police elections will be a car-crash for Welsh democracy. People could be expected to deal with three different ballot papers and three different ways of voting.
"This will inevitably lead to confusion and we’ll see a sharp rise in the number of spoilt ballot papers, meaning some people’s votes won’t count.
“And with a number of tight electoral races across Wales, any increase in spoilt ballot papers could skew results in marginal seats.
'It is avoidable'
"With the government and opposition on 30 seats a piece, and opinion polls showing the 2016 Assembly elections will be close, every vote counts.
"Any local result that’s skewed by this clash, could impact on the overall national result. However, it is avoidable.”

However there could be  a argument that a large number of spoilt ballots for PCC could be seen that voters are expressing a view that they should be abolished .

Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, prehaps makes the most valid point  when she said  

[We want] to scrap police and crime commissioners, and will push for this in Government after the next election. However, if we are forced to continue with this system then it’s clear there would be a need to avoid a clash with the Assembly elections to avoid numerous ballots under three different voting systems.
“We would support delaying the PCC elections for an additional year for this very reason. Holding them in May 2017 to coincide with the expected local council elections would be a less confusing combination, but would still avoid the additional costs that would be incurred by holding them on a different day.”

Remember that the Assembly uses two ballot papers one vis First Pat the Post and another via a list system  and the PCC uses the supplementary vote system, with voters marking the ballot paper with their first and second choices of candidate.

So there will be three Ballot Papers with three different voting systems. 

The problem is of Wales will not be taken into the equation for PCC elections as its not happening in Scotland and and may suit Tory MPs in England .

The ERS is right to call attention to this but I not sure that it is up to them to decide "Who is the right or wrong person to be elected