Electoral Reform must begin with the ‘rights’ of second home owners

This letter was published in the West Briton today (13/5/10) I have written to the electoral officer and await a response:

I note with dismay the tiny Tory majorities obtained in the Redruth-Camborne Constituency (66) and Truro-Falmouth (435). I have no evidence (yet) that second home owners have voted at their primary home, as well as at their second home. After discussing the matter with the electoral officer, readers must realise there is nothing-apart from a call to be honest- to prevent them from doing so, or choosing to vote in an address in Cornwall rather than their substantive address to vote . Presumably if they own several homes they could-if they wished-vote on multiple occasions. I am sure the Tory party has not instituted such a campaign, but we all know the moneyed tends to vote Tory.

The rules-as they exist- state people must only vote in the national elections at the address where they spend the majority of their time. In local elections people can vote wherever they are on the register. I am concerned that after assessing the electoral register for my village, there are at least 15 people who are registered to vote here, but I have either never or seldom seen. To leave it to second home owner’s ‘honesty’ not to get a postal vote, as well as vote at another address is not good enough. I am sure many of them are honest, but I also note many second home owners (some who do spend a lot of time here) have chosen not to register here.

I, for one, thought the link between the right to vote and property ownership was long dead. Not necessarily true. The Greens, Lib Dems and Mebyon Kernow were all totally united in the need to do more about affordable housing and taking strong action against second home ownership. We all fought a strong campaign on this issue, while the Tories sat very much on the fence.

Although, as yet, I have no evidence that second home owners had an impact on the election result in Cornwall, as well as other areas where second home ownership is prevalent, I urge other concerned people to write to the electoral officer, under a Freedom of Information Act request, for them to investigate the use of postal votes, and whether second home owners voted twice. If that is the case, and if that had an impact on the final result, MP’s must be recalled and by-elections take place. I remember vividly the Tories stating if there was any impropriety voters should have the right to recall their MP’s. If there is a need, let us put it to the test.