The Know Daily - Tuesday 26 March 2024

_{Read in 5m 24s∙Listening to Hozier}

Building work on Barcelona’s Sagrada Família is finally nearing the finish line - 144 years after it first started 🤯. The foundation overseeing the project has announced a target date of 2026, which would coincide with the centenary of the death of Antoni Gaudí, the architect who designed the iconic monument 👇 

🗳️ The way we vote for mayors is changing

Local elections are taking place across England on 2 May 2024. For the first time, mayors - including the Mayor of London - will be elected under the first-past-the-post system.

First things first: where are elections happening?
Elections are taking place in 107 local authorities across England, with voters in England and Wales also choosing 37 police and crime commissioners (PCCs). Voters will also elect the mayor in London and in nine metro areas, including the West Midlands and Greater Manchester. 

And the way we vote for them is changing?
Yep. For the first time this year, these mayors will be elected using first-past-the-post, which is the voting system used in UK general elections and local council elections.

Previously, all directly elected mayors in England were chosen under the supplementary vote system, which gave voters a first and second choice - but this time, they will only get one vote. This is a result of the Election Act 2022, a controversial piece of government legislation which also introduced the requirement for voter ID.

And how has the change been received?
It’s been mixed. Ministers said the switch was needed because the old system was “overcomplicated and confusing” - but the Institute For Government said the move risked limiting voter choice. 

Natalie Campbell MBE - an entrepreneur who is running for London Mayor as an independent - told The Know that first-past-the-post has its benefits when it comes to mayoral elections. “A system where we get one vote means people really think about who they are voting for,” she said. 

She points out that unlike in UK general elections - where people don’t vote for the PM but rather their local MP - around six million people can vote directly for London’s mayor, which can give them a big personal mandate.

So what’s the takeaway?
Regardless of how you view the changes, it’s always worth turning out to vote. And as Campbell told us, this is especially important if you’re a woman.