Opinions of the Poles about Postulated Changes in Electoral Law

Creation of the English-language versions of the articles published in the „Białostockie Studia Prawnicze” [Białystok Legal Studies] funded under the contract no. 548/P-DUN/2016 and 548/1/P-DUN/2016 from resources of the Minister of Science and Higher Education dedicated to the popularisation of science.After many years ofeff ort, in 2011, a large package of new solutions was introduced to the Polish electoral law (postal-voting, quotas, etc.). But the process of changing electoral law cannot be considered as complete. Some of the solutions implemented require adjustment and modification (such as electoral quotas). It is also worth taking into account, inter alia, demographic changes and technological developments; considering the prospects for the evolution of mechanisms in the long term (such as the introduction of electronic voting and reducing the voting age). A few weeks before the European Parliament elections in 2014, the Centre of Electoral Studies and the Public Opinion Research Center, conducted polls to assess public opinion on a group of constructions that were being considered by experts and in parliamentary works on electoral law. The research shows that Poles are against the proposed reduction in voting age (to 16 years) as well as against removal of the ‘electoral silence’ period. Opinion on electoral quotas was divided. The research also showed that although Poles are open to new, remote methods of voting (e.g. postal voting), they still preferred the ‘classic way’ of voting in polling stations which they regarded as being the most trustworthy.Jarosław Zbieranek: zbieranek@o2.plBeata Roguska - Public Opinion Research Center in WarsawJarosław Zbieranek - Centre of Electoral Studies UMK in Toruń Office of the Commissioner for Human RightsKomunikat z badań CBOS „Polacy o ułatwieniach w głosowaniu”, lipiec 2011 (eds. B. Roguska, J. Zbieranek)Oelbermann K.F., Pukelsheim F., Future European Parliament Elections: Ten Steps Towards Uniform Procedures, „Zeitschrift fur Staats und Europawissenschaft en”, 2011, No. 1Roguska B., Zbieranek J., Polacy o ułatwieniach w głosowaniu, Warszawa 2011Roguska B., Zbieranek J., Wiedza i opinie Polaków o prawie wyborczym i mechanizmach kampanii, Warszawa 2011Roguska B., J. Zbieranek, Ułatwienia w głosowaniu – wiedza, opinie i oczekiwania, Warszawa 2014Rulka M., Zbieranek J., W kierunku jednolitego aktu? System prawa wyborczego do Parlamentu Europejskiego (in:) J. Kucharczyk, A. Łada (eds.), W stronę europejskiego demos? Polskie wybory do Parlamentu Europejskiego w 2009 roku w perspektywie porównawczej, Warszawa 2010Zbieranek J., (ed.), Europejskie wybory młodych, Toruń 2014Zbieranek J., Alternatywne procedury głosowania w polskim prawie wyborczym – gwarancja zasady powszechności wyborów czy mechanizm zwiększania frekwencji wyborczej?, Warszawa 2013Zbieranek J., Wiedza o ułatwieniach w głosowaniu przed wyborami prezydenckimi, Warszawa 201520/A en29330