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Police commissioner elections report low turnout First police commissioners chosen amid turnout concerns
(35 minutes later)
  
Low turnouts have been reported in parts of England and Wales as results start coming through in the elections for police and crime commissioners. The first police and crime commissioners have been elected, as concerns are raised about low turnout in parts of England and Wales.
Numerous police areas have confirmed turnouts ranging from 13-20%. Numerous areas have confirmed turnouts ranging from 13-20%.
Elections expert Professor John Curtice said it could be the worst turnout ever. Downing Street said people needed time to get used to the idea of PCCs. The chairwoman of the Electoral Commission said the turnout was "a concern for everyone who cares about democracy".
In the first two results, Conservative candidates were elected in Wiltshire and Dyfed-Powys. David Cameron said numbers were always going to be low when holding an election for the first time.
In other developments: "It takes time to explain a new post," the prime minister said, and he predicted voting numbers would be "much higher next time round".
So far, Tories have won in Wiltshire and Dyfed-Powys, and Labour candidates in Northumbria and Merseyside.
Police and crime commissioners will have powers to hire and fire chief constables and set police strategy and budgets.
The government says PCCs will give local people more control over policing, but opponents have warned the changes will politicise the police - and low turnout shows people don't want them.
As the election results started to come in on Friday, it became clear many voters had stayed away from the polls.
The record low for a national poll in peacetime is the 23% turnout for the 1999 European elections.The record low for a national poll in peacetime is the 23% turnout for the 1999 European elections.
Indifference and ignorance has surrounded the contests to be Police and Crime Commissioners.Indifference and ignorance has surrounded the contests to be Police and Crime Commissioners.
With turnout in the teens in many places, questions are being asked about the credibility of the whole idea and the mandate of those who have won.With turnout in the teens in many places, questions are being asked about the credibility of the whole idea and the mandate of those who have won.
There was a perfect storm for a low turnout.There was a perfect storm for a low turnout.
Firstly, replacing something many people hadn't heard of, police authorities, with something many don't yet understand, police commissioners.Firstly, replacing something many people hadn't heard of, police authorities, with something many don't yet understand, police commissioners.
Secondly, asking people to schlep to the polling station on a miserable day in November.Secondly, asking people to schlep to the polling station on a miserable day in November.
Thirdly, the government deciding not to fund a mailshot to all voters with information on local candidates, encouraging people to look information up online instead.Thirdly, the government deciding not to fund a mailshot to all voters with information on local candidates, encouraging people to look information up online instead.
But make no mistake. This is a very big change to how the police are governed. And removing the right to have a say - democracy - once it has been introduced, is very difficult.But make no mistake. This is a very big change to how the police are governed. And removing the right to have a say - democracy - once it has been introduced, is very difficult.
Turnout in the PCC election was 12.9% in Merseyside, 13.3% in Thames Valley, and 13.5% in Greater Manchester. These figures include spoilt ballot papers.Turnout in the PCC election was 12.9% in Merseyside, 13.3% in Thames Valley, and 13.5% in Greater Manchester. These figures include spoilt ballot papers.
Professor Curtice, of Strathclyde University, said: "It looks pretty likely that this will be the worst turnout in any nationwide set of elections ever and therefore will raise questions about whether this whole exercise was worth it in the first place." Electoral Commission chairwoman Jenny Watson said: "These were new elections taking place at an unfamiliar time of year, which is why we have made clear at every stage that it would be important to engage effectively with voters.
Downing Street sources put the low turnout figures down to the fact that the commissioners were "a brand new idea ... which would take time for people to get used to". "The government took a number of decisions about how to run these elections that we did not agree with. But what is important now is that the right lessons are learnt: we will talk to voters, candidates and returning officers to understand what worked and what didn't.
They also said the elections, because they were not being held in London, had received insufficient national news coverage. "The commission is going to undertake a thorough review, and we will present our findings to Parliament in early 2013."
Elections expert Professor John Curtice, of Strathclyde University, said it could be the worst turnout ever.
"It looks pretty likely that this will be the worst turnout in any nationwide set of elections ever and therefore will raise questions about whether this whole exercise was worth it in the first place," he said.
But Downing Street sources said the elections, because they were not being held in London, had received insufficient national news coverage.
"The national media have not covered themselves in glory," a No 10 source said."The national media have not covered themselves in glory," a No 10 source said.
And policing minister Damian Green told ITV1's Daybreak programme: "The measure of this policy is not the turnout, it's what the police and crime commissioners achieve over the next few years.And policing minister Damian Green told ITV1's Daybreak programme: "The measure of this policy is not the turnout, it's what the police and crime commissioners achieve over the next few years.
"Millions of people voted yesterday - nobody ever voted for the chair of a police authority so there's clearly a democratic mandate that wasn't there before.""Millions of people voted yesterday - nobody ever voted for the chair of a police authority so there's clearly a democratic mandate that wasn't there before."
But Labour's Chuka Umunna called the elections "a total shambles", suggesting the £100m cost would have paid for 3,000 police officers. Labour's Chuka Umunna called the elections "a total shambles", suggesting the £100m cost would have paid for 3,000 police officers.
He added: "At least if you are going to have the elections, organise them properly and don't have them in the middle of winter."He added: "At least if you are going to have the elections, organise them properly and don't have them in the middle of winter."
Turnout reached 27.48% in the PCC election in Bristol, where voters were also going to the polls to choose the city's first directly-elected mayor, but across the Avon and Somerset police area as a whole it dropped to 19.58%.Turnout reached 27.48% in the PCC election in Bristol, where voters were also going to the polls to choose the city's first directly-elected mayor, but across the Avon and Somerset police area as a whole it dropped to 19.58%.
Professor Curtice told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that a lack of "real choices" in an election made it difficult to persuade the electorate to vote.Professor Curtice told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that a lack of "real choices" in an election made it difficult to persuade the electorate to vote.
"The candidates were all saying, 'We want more police on the beat, we want to tackle anti-social behaviour, we want the police to be more efficient.' It is very difficult to find an obvious difference between them in terms of strategic direction.""The candidates were all saying, 'We want more police on the beat, we want to tackle anti-social behaviour, we want the police to be more efficient.' It is very difficult to find an obvious difference between them in terms of strategic direction."
The first PCC to be elected was Angus Macpherson, in Wiltshire, where he beat the Labour candidate after second preference votes were counted.The first PCC to be elected was Angus Macpherson, in Wiltshire, where he beat the Labour candidate after second preference votes were counted.
In Wiltshire, where 15.3% voted - 78,794 people, excluding those who spoilt ballot papers, out of a total electorate of 514,855 - returning officer Stephen Taylor said some people had complained about a lack of information.In Wiltshire, where 15.3% voted - 78,794 people, excluding those who spoilt ballot papers, out of a total electorate of 514,855 - returning officer Stephen Taylor said some people had complained about a lack of information.
"People have emailed and contacted us saying that they didn't know enough about the candidates in order to be able to make a choice, and obviously that's something I have no control over," he told BBC News."People have emailed and contacted us saying that they didn't know enough about the candidates in order to be able to make a choice, and obviously that's something I have no control over," he told BBC News.
Mr Macpherson said: "I think it's incumbent on all police commissioners as we all take office to actually develop this job and let people know what it is."Mr Macpherson said: "I think it's incumbent on all police commissioners as we all take office to actually develop this job and let people know what it is."
In a straight two-way contest in Dyfed-Powys, Conservative candidate Christopher Salmon secured 50.9% of first preference votes to beat his Labour rival.In a straight two-way contest in Dyfed-Powys, Conservative candidate Christopher Salmon secured 50.9% of first preference votes to beat his Labour rival.
Vera Baird, a former MP and solicitor general in the last Labour government, won in Northumbria, while Labour former minister Jane Kennedy was elected in Merseyside.