The recent plans by one-fifth of councils to end election night counts in favour of next day counts has met considerable hostility from political enthusiasts, and it's easy to understand why. The present election night system - traditional since the widespread adoption of television - works well and the prospect of 'not knowing' potentially until the following afternoon would be dreadful. The nation would be in limbo, the markets would suffer, and a day of idle speculation by every talking head in Britain would drive us all mad.
Election Night is not only a slightly unusual way of recording history and changing attitudes for future generations to watch back on BBC Parliament, and a surreal tour of the country in which you only visit town halls and sports centres with television personalities long since retired from the normal less-stretched demands of the networks (many of whom you thought died long ago), but also the one piece of political television many people watch. Election Night 2005 on BBC One from 9.55pm-2.00am) was watched by six million people at its peak, with an average of 4.3 million. A total of 14.9 million viewers watched some of the BBC’s coverage that night. More still watched ITV and Sky. And as Election Night covers that all important concept of democratic change - kicking the rascals out - it is without doubt the most important as an educational tool. Switching from the watchable four hours to a split, painfully long marathon would be like axing 20/20 cricket for an all day and all night Test Series.
But just because this marathon split results idea is bad doesn't mean changing Election Night would be bad. Indeed as an important educational tool we should change it in order to make it easier to watch, particularly for families and teenagers with school, young people with work etc. The photograph with this post is from 1910 and shows that same night results are far from traditional*, as here on 10th December 1910 the results for the Faversham constituency are announced - during the day, on a Sunday as well! - to a large crowd. I admit in 1910 there wasn't much else to do, but it made me think. Why not hold the election on Saturday and count on Sunday, so people who wish to could take their children when they vote and watch the results on Sunday, maybe even see their local one in person? (Seeing counts where certain Labour 'rascals' stand a good chance of getting 'kicked out' may however need tickets to be issued to limit crowds).
*The general election of December 1910 was held from 3 to 19 December. It was the last British election to be held over several days, thankfully! Imagine what a nightmare that would be.
