Beyond the Ballot Box

Author: Yvonne Murphy, Omidaze Productions

This report details 4 years of research and development with over 12,000 people and evidences barriers to UK democratic participation and 3 tried and tested possible solutions.

The report explains how our democracy works and how things fit together so people can be heard, contribute and influence our democracy year-round.

There are lots of ways people can get involved in democracy: 

• Share information and have conversations
• Participate in democratic deliberation and debate
• Volunteer
• Get involved in civic and civil society through groups that represent different needs
• Petition
• Protest and campaign
• Involve the media
• Submit evidence to committees both in-person and in writing
• Know who your elected representatives are and how to contact them and hold them to account in person and in writing
• Attend and speak at council meetings and stand for public office

Rather than simply focusing on getting people to turn out to vote the evidence from this research suggests that there will be a significant increase across all forms of democratic engagement and participation, including voter turnout, if people are given the right support and information.