LONDON -- The British general election takes place May 5. It was formally announced April 3 but electioneering has been going on for months and many voters had become bored even before the dissolution of Parliament. It is widely feared that boredom and disillusionment with politicians of all the parties contesting the election will lead to voter apathy and a low turnout.
The electoral system has come in for much criticism. In local elections held last year in Birmingham there were allegations of widespread fraud by Labour Party local counselors involving postal votes. The judge who presided over the trial of some of those involved said that the system of postal voting was "worthy of a banana republic" and that apart from writing on postal-voting envelopes "please steal me" the system could not be made easier to manipulate.
The government has said that they will reform the law but only after the current election and have continued to encourage the use of postal voting.