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CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Introduction
Background
Aims and Objectives
Methodology
Presentation of data
Response rates and Representativeness and Implications for Findings
Report Structure
CHAPTER TWO PROFILE OF CANDIDATES
Number and Political Affiliation of Candidates
Gender
Age
Highest educational qualification
Ethnic background
Marital / Civil Partnership Status
Housing Tenure
Long-term Illness, Health Problem or Disability
Care Responsibilities
Employment Status
Current or Most Recent Employment Category
Current or Most Recent Employment Sector
Hours Worked
Annual Household Gross Income
CHAPTER THREE MOTIVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF STANDING
Motivations for Standing
Confidence in Winning
Experience of Attending the Count
Likelihood of Standing Again
Public Information Campaign
The Voters
CHAPTER FOUR CONCLUSIONS
Characteristics of unsuccessful candidates and councillors
Motivations for Standing
Experience of standing for election
Commentary on Initiatives and Legislation to Widen Access to Local Government
ANNEX 1: QUESTIONNAIRE
ANNEX 2: BIBLIOGRAPHY
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Table 1 Response rates by party, 2007
Table 2 Response rate by gender, 2007
Table 3 Percentage of female and male candidates elected in 1999, 2003 and 2007
Table 4 Percentage of females among all candidates and councillors by year of election and political affiliation
Table 5 Age profile and average age of unsuccessful candidates and councillors by gender, 2007 (%)
Table 6 Average (mean) ages of unsuccessful candidates and councillors by political affiliation and gender, 2007
Table 7 Highest educational qualification of unsuccessful candidates, councillors and the Scottish population, 2003 and 2007 (%)
Table 8 Highest educational qualification of unsuccessful candidates and councillors by gender, 2007 (%)
Table 9 Ethnic background of unsuccessful candidates, councillors and the Scottish population, 2003 and 2007 (%)
Table 10 Marital status of unsuccessful candidates, councillors and the Scottish population, 2003 and 2007 (%)
Table 11 Housing tenure of unsuccessful candidates, councillors and the Scottish population, 2003 and 2007 (%)
Table 12 Long-term illness, health problem or disability among unsuccessful candidates and councillors by age category, 2007 (%)
Table 13 Care responsibilities of unsuccessful candidates and councillors, 2003 and 2007 (%)
Table 14 Care responsibilities of unsuccessful candidates by age category, 2007 (%)(n=755)
Table 15 Care responsibilities of councillors by age category, 2007 (%)(n=747)
Table 16 Employment status of unsuccessful candidates, councillors and Scottish population, 2003 and 2007 (%)
Table 17 Employment status of unsuccessful candidates and councillors by gender, 2007 (%)
Table 18 Employment category of unsuccessful candidates and councillors by gender, 2007 (%)
Table 19 Employment sector of unsuccessful candidates and councillors by gender, 2007 (%)
Table 20 Hours worked per week by unsuccessful candidates, councillors and the Scottish population by gender, 2007 (%)
Table 21 Annual household gross income of unsuccessful candidates by age category, 2007 (%)(n=714)
Table 22 Annual household gross annual income of councillors by age category, 2007 (%)(n=686)
Table 23 Percentage of unsuccessful candidates and councillors who included response among their reasons for standing, by gender, 2007
Table 24 Percentage of unsuccessful candidates who included response among their reasons for standing, by age category, 2007 (n=593)
Table 25 Percentage of councillors who included response among their reasons for standing, by age category, 2007
Table 26 Percentage of unsuccessful candidates who included response among their reasons for standing, by political affiliation, 2007*
Table 27 Percentage of councillors who included response among their reasons for standing, by political affiliation, 2007 (n=755)*
Table 28 Percentage of unsuccessful candidates who included response among their reasons for lacking confidence in winning the seat, 2007 (n=504)
Table 29 Proportion of respondents stating that more than one candidate from their party stood in their ward by Party, 2007 (%)
Table 30 Percentage of wards contested by each party, 1999 - 2007 (%)
Figure 1 Political affiliation of candidates who responded to either the unsuccessful candidates or elected members survey (n = 1,559)
Figure 2 Number of Candidates in Council Elections by Party, 1999 - 2007
Figure 3 'New Faces' - unsuccessful candidates who had not stood for election to local government before by political affiliation, 2003 and 2007 (%)
Figure 4 Candidates who were new to council membership by political affiliation, 2003 and 2007 (%)
Figure 5 Councillors who were new to council membership by political affiliation, 2003 and 2007 (%)
Figure 6 Gender of all candidates, unsuccessful candidates, councillors and population, 2007 (%)
Figure 7 Percentages of females among all candidates and councillors by year of election, 2007
Figure 8 Percentage of females among all candidates and among councillors by political affiliation, 2007
Figure 9 Age profile of unsuccessful candidates, councillors and the Scottish population, 2003 and 2007 (%)
Figure 10 Long-term illness/health problems/disability among unsuccessful candidates, councillors and the Scottish population, 2007 (%)
Figure 11 Long-term illness/health problems/disability among unsuccessful candidates and councillors by political affiliation, 2007 (%)(n=781, 744)
Figure 12 Care responsibilities of unsuccessful candidates and councillors by gender, 2007 (%)
Figure 13 Care responsibilities of unsuccessful candidates by political affiliation, 2007 (%)(n=755)
Figure 14 Employment status of unsuccessful candidates by political affiliation, 2007 (%)(n=783)
Figure 15 Employment category of unsuccessful candidates and councillors, 2007 (%)
Figure 16 Employment sector of unsuccessful candidates and councillors, 2003 and 2007 (%)
Figure 17 Employment sector of unsuccessful candidates, councillors and the Scottish population, 2007 (%)
Figure 18 Annual household gross income of unsuccessful candidates, 2007 (%)
Figure 19 Annual household gross income of councillors, 2007 (%)
Figure 20 Annual household gross income of female unsuccessful candidates, 2007 (%)
Figure 21 Annual household gross income of male unsuccessful candidates, 2007 (%)
Figure 22 Percentage of unsuccessful candidates who included response among their reasons for standing (n=593)
Figure 23 Percentage of councillors who included response among their reasons for standing (n=755)
Figure 24 Unsuccessful candidates' confidence in winning a seat, 2003 and 2007 (%)(n=789)
Figure 25 Unsuccessful candidates' confidence of winning a seat by political affiliation, 2007 (%)(n=789)
Figure 26 Extent to which unsuccessful candidates and councillors felt that the position of candidates on the ballot affected the number of votes they received, 2007 (%)
Figure 27 'Alphabetical' voting in wards where parties fielded at least two candidates, 2007
Figure 28 Unsuccessful candidates and councillors attending count by political affiliation, 2007 (%)
Figure 29 Unsuccessful candidates and councillors who felt they were given enough information about the process, 2007 (%)
Figure 30 Unsuccessful candidates and councillors who felt that the results were properly explained to them (%)
Figure 31 Likelihood of unsuccessful candidates standing for election again by political affiliation, 2007 (%)(n=793)
The views expressed in this report are those of the researcher and
do not necessarily represent those of the Department or Scottish Ministers.