Commentary on Provisions Part 7: Election pilots and democratic engagement Section 44 – Funding to increase democratic engagement
135.This section sets out a new specific financial assistance power to enable the Scottish Ministers to make or give grants, loans, guarantees and indemnities for the purposes of, or in connection with, increasing democratic engagement. This may be in relation to local government elections or Scottish Parliament elections. The purpose for which a grant or financial assistance may be given includes activities which, in the opinion of the Scottish Ministers, are undertaken with a view to increasing or improving registration and participation by voters, candidates, campaigners and others.
136.For example, funding may be given to third parties to run engagement campaigns, or the Scottish Ministers may fund initiatives of its own. Some examples of projects which have been tried in other jurisdictions and which may be considered for funding are things such as digital surgeries connecting councillors and MPs with people, chatbots answering common questions on registering and voting in different languages and videos tailored to different groups giving a “walk through” or other information about a polling station. Grants made by the Scottish Ministers may also include funding automatic voter registration at educational establishments.
137.In considering whether to provide financial assistance under this section, the Scottish Ministers must have regard to the impact of the funded activity or activities in relation to persons with protected characteristics listed in section 4 of the Equality Act 2010.