Local campaign activity and voting

Two types of data are used to address separate but related questions about the 2011 referendum on the parliamentary voting system. First, a survey of individual candidates at the coincident local government elections examines the extent to which local campaigning was used by the parties (as surrogates for the 'Yes' and 'No' camps) to provide information and decision cues to electors. Second, aggregate data at local authority-level compares participation in and voting preferences at the two electoral events. The combination of evidence suggests that while having coincident local elections helped to boost turnout in the referendum, the impact of local-level campaigning on the referendum outcome was marginal at best.

► Many local election candidates did not engage with the referendum. ► Conservative candidates were the most active campaigners and promoted a No vote. ► Only half of Liberal Democrats delivered Yes literature. ► Labour party candidates did not deliver any referendum-related literature. ► Referendum turnout was higher in areas with local elections.