LIKE B Challis, I was

disappointed by the lack of information available about the Police Commissioner’s (PCC) election.

I’d actually forgotten all about it until I heard the Radio 4 news on the day.

If the PCC people couldn’t be bothered to send round any flyers or do any promotion, then I didn’t see why I should bother to vote.

It was only because I’ve voted in every election (national and local) since I turned 18 that I was determined not to let the powers that be put me off?even if it meant spoiling my paper by drawing a box and labelling it ‘none of the above.’

Within minutes, one reason for voter apathy became obvious.

The PCC website explained the candidate details were only available online. To study the  candidates’ form, one needed to download a PDF. 

What happens to people who aren’t online, or who suffer from a bad internet connection, or ancient equipment, and don’t have hours to waste hanging about for downloads?

The PCC website supplied a contact email for the election organiser – David Hagg – so I dashed off a quick e-mail to him with those questions. Here’s his reply (the italics are mine):

“Thanks for the email. 

“Your polling card does mention the election you are eligible to vote in as well as where you can vote.

“You say that there is only the PCC election in your area so from that I presume you live in the Cotswolds, Forest of Dean or Tewkesbury.

“As the Police Area Returning Officer I would encourage you to vote.

“In understanding your complaint about publicity, I am glad you were able to access the candidate details on the website.

“Nationally, this is the chosen means by which to provide voters with details.

“A telephone service was also available for those without web access to have a booklet of the candidates sent to their address.

“Locally, we have made efforts to let the public know about both the website and the telephone request line.

“A limited number of the booklets have been made available to us and these have been distributed to libraries and council buildings. 

“I personally have appeared on BBC West on two occasions, on Radio Gloucestershire and Heart FM talking about the elections and explaining the voting system for the PCC election.

“There has been extensive coverage in local newspapers and The Citizen has carried features on each of the three PCC candidates.

“While I and Local Returning Officers and their staff in each of the districts seek to draw attention to the election and encourage people to vote, we do so within very limited financial resources.

“I am allocated a small sum within the nationally prescribed election budget for publicity. 

“Usually it is for the candidates and agents to inform the electorate of their candidacy using the media, leaflets, public meetings and other forms of communication.

“The PCC elections represent something of a challenge for them given the scale of the election across Gloucestershire.”

In my opinion, David Hagg’s response explains why turnout was so low.

Anyone could have found out all they needed to know about the candidates?but as easily as Arthur Dent could have found out there was a planning application to knock down his house (in Douglas Adams’s book,  The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy).

If only Arthur had bothered to look, the paperwork was on display at the bottom of a locked filing cabinet, stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘beware of the leopard.’

– Christina Hollis, address supplied.

Editor’s note: Conservative candidate Will Windsor-Clive said he had put out a leaflet in the Forest.