Below are media and co-op ed pieces:
- (2025) ‘Automatic voter registration: a huge step forward for democracy – and a chance to bring missing millions into elections‘ The Conversation, July 16 2025
- (2025) Low turnout and an unfair voting system: UK elections ranked in the bottom half of countries in Europe, The Conversation, 3 July 2025
- (2024) Voter turnout lowest in decades – an expected result and electoral rules may have played a role’, The Conversation, 9 July 2024
- (2024) Election 2024: up to 8 million people are not properly registered to vote, The Conversation, May 30 2024.
- (2024) ‘Boris Johnson: if even the prime minister who introduced voter ID can forget his, do we need a rethink?’, The Conversation, May 3 2024.
- (2023) ‘The UK needs an electoral data revolution to boost turnout and democracy‘ LSE Politics and Policy Blog, 7th February 2023, with Paul Bernal.
- (2022) ‘(2023) ‘Six reasons Britain’s impending voter ID law is a bad idea’ The Conversation, 13 December 2022
- (2022) ‘How to make voter registration both accurate and easy‘ Washington Post, September 23 2022.
- (2022) Ireland has moved to improve electoral integrity – other countries should follow suit, LSE EUROPOP Blog, 15th July 2022
- (2022) ‘Elections: a global ranking rates US weakest among liberal democracies‘, The Conversation, 1 June 2022
- (2022) ‘Democracy undermined: elections in the UK are changing – here’s how’, The Conversation, 29th April 2022
- (2021) Boris Johnson plans to take control of the independent Electoral Commission in another assault on democratic institutions’ The Conversation, November 8 2021
- (2021) ‘A Bipartisan Compromise On Voter Identification Is Needed In The Uk. Canada Has A Blueprint’, Political Studies Association Blog, 3 October 2021.
- (2021) Wales has put effective legislation in place to make the Senedd polls COVID-safe‘, Constitution Unit Blog, 22 February 2020, with Alistair Clark
- (2021) Elections and Covid-19: international electoral observation in 2020, Erik Asplund Lars Heuver, Fakiha Ahmed, Bor Stevense, Sulemana Umar, Toby James and Alistair Clark, International IDEA, 17th March 2021.
- (2021) ‘Elections and Covid-19: How special voting arrangements were expanded in 2020’, International IDEA, Erik Asplund, Lars Heuver, Fakiha Ahmed, Bor Stevense, Sulemana Umar, Toby James, Alistair Clark and Peter Wolf, 25th February 2021.
- (2021)‘Wales is giving 16-year-olds the vote – but they may have to wait a little longer’, Toby James, The Conversation, 15th February 2021.
- (2021) ‘Scotland is ready to run the May elections, despite the pandemic’, Toby James, The Conversation, 15th February 2021.
- (2021) Elections and COVID-19: Health and safety in polling stations | International IDEA, Erik Asplund Lars Heuver, Fakiha Ahmed, Bor Stevense, Sulemana Umar, Toby James and Alistair Clark, International IDEA, 5th February 2021.
- (2021) Elections and COVID-19: How election campaigns took place in 2020, Erik Asplund Lars Heuver, Fakiha Ahmed, Bor Stevense, Sulemana Umar, Toby James and Alistair Clark, International IDEA, 2nd February 2021.
- (2021) ‘UK government has delayed elections longer than most countries – and England still isn’t ready to hold pandemic votes in May’, The Conversation, 8th January 2021.
- (2020) ‘People with COVID-19 and those self-isolating must not be denied the vote’, Erik Asplund, Bor Stevense, Toby S James, Alistair Clark, LSE Blog, 23rd October 2020
- (2020) ‘Racist barriers to voting remain in the US – but action for inclusive elections are needed worldwide’ Political Studies Association, with Holly Ann Garnett
- (2020) ‘What happens after elections are postponed? Responses to postponing elections during COVID-19 vary by regime type’ International IDEA, September 2020.
- Electoral officials need more money to run elections during Covid-19, Erik Asplund, Toby James and Alistair Clark, Democratic Audit, 14th July 2020.
- (2020) Adapting elections to COVID-19: five key questions for decision makers, Toby James, International IDEA, 19th May 2020.
- (2020) ‘It is time for automatic voter registration in the UK’ Democratic Audit, 29th April 2020, with Paul Bernal.
- (2020) ‘Elections and COVID-19: Making democracy work in uncertain times’ Democratic Audit, 30th March 2020, with Erik Asplund.
- (2020) ‘Should elections be postponed because of coronavirus?‘ The Conversation, New European, 18th March 2020
- (2019) ‘Voter fraud isn’t the problem: painting an accurate picture of a British election day’ The Conversation, 9th December 2019.
- (2019) ‘Is the UK ready for an election? Inside a system straining at the seams’ The Conversation, 14th August 2019.
- (2019) ‘Who runs elections and how can they be improved? Independence, resources and workforce conditions are essential for good election management’, Democratic Audit, 6th June 2019.
- (2019) ‘#DeniedMyVote – why many EU citizens were unable to vote in the European Parliament elections’ Democratic Audit, 30th May 2019.
- (2019) ‘Game of Thrones: what Machiavelli might have made of the politics in Westeros,’ The Conversation, 23rd May 2019.
- (2018) ‘Ethical questions over Number 10’s social media push for Brexit deal’ The Conversation, 16th November 2018.
- (2018) ‘Voter ID: our first results suggest local election pilot was unnecessary and ineffective‘ The Conversation, 2nd August 2018, with Alistair Clark.
- (2018) ‘Time to wake the youth quake’, Research Fortnight’s HE, 1st May 2018.
- (2018) ‘Will Windrush citizens also lose their voting rights? Researchers will be watching to find out‘ The Conversation, April 24th 2018.
- (2017) ‘Scotland eyes a youthquake with online voting: here are some tips from past pilots’. The Conversation, 21st December 2017.
- (2017) ‘Just how far has Jeremy Corbyn come – and how far could he still go?,’ The Conversation, 11 June 2017.
- (2017) ‘Running elections: it’s an expensive job, and cash-strapped local authorities have to do it‘ Democratic Audit, 8 June 2017.
- (2017) ‘To sleep or not to sleep? Everything you need to know about #GE2017 election night,’ The Conversation, 7 June 2017.
- (2017) ‘Too late for GE2017 – but now universities will have to play a role in registering students to vote’ Democratic Audit, 2 May 2017, with Lord Rennard and Josh Dell (Bite the Ballot).
- (2017) ‘Why isn’t the electoral registration process fully online?’, Open Democracy, 29th March 2017, with Caroline Lucas MP.
- (2017) ‘Now they’re on a roll: how to get the missing millions onto the electoral register,’ Democratic Audit, 8th March 2017, with Josh Dell and Lord Chris Rennard.
- (2017) ‘Voter ID is a risky reform when 8m people are already missing from the electoral register’, Democratic Audit, 28th December.
- (2016) ‘The US election won’t be rigged – but the system has to be fixed,’ The Conversation’, 5th November 2016
- (2016) ‘What do Trump and Brexit have in common? Warnings of electoral fraud’ Washington Post, October 31 2016.
- (2016) ‘Missing Millions’, Fabian Review, 2 August 2016.
- (2016) ‘Let’s stop the last minute registration rush: It’s time for a complete and inclusive electoral register for Britain,’ Democratic Audit, 3rd June 2016, with Chris Rennard and Oliver Sidorczuk.
- (2016) ‘There are effective ways of getting the ‘Missing Millions’ back on to the UK’s electoral register’, Political Studies Association Blog and Democratic Audit, 9th March 2016, with Oliver Sidorczuk
- (2016) ‘Getting It Right: Voter Registration Lessons For The UK’ Huffington Post, 26th February 2016, with Oliver Sidorczuk
- (2016) ‘National Voter Registration Drive: A Reminder That Millions Are Missing From the Electoral Register,’ Huffington Post, 4th February 2016, with Oliver Sidorczuk.
- (2015) ‘Electoral fraud isn’t the biggest problem at British polling stations….. it’s the electoral register’, Political Studies Association Blog, 14th October 2015, with Alistair Clark.
- (2015), ‘The UK’s electoral infrastructure is functional due to the efforts of many individuals, but it cannot be taken for granted,’ Democratic Audit, 29th September 2015, with Alistair Clark.
- (2015) ‘Five tests for the next Labour Leader’ Huffington Post, 8th September 2015.
- (2015) ‘The gaping hole in the voter registration changes,’ Guardian, 5 August 2015.
- (2014) ‘(Re)evaluating Gordon Brown: It’s important to factor context into our assessment of political leaders’, The London School of Economics and Politics British Politics and Policy Blog / Political Studies Association Blog, 3 December 2014.
- (2014) ”The UK faces a growing crisis with the electoral register: Why we should all support “Motor Voter” Amendments to the Wales Bill next week‘, Political Studies Association Blog, 4 November 2014
- (2014) ‘Electoral management issues were the dog that didn’t bark in the Scottish night‘, Democratic Audit, 19th September 2014.
- (2014) ‘Who were the most successful British political party leaders since 1900?’, Left Foot Forward, 25th May 2014.
- (2014) ‘Postal voting and electoral fraud: a reply to Richard Mawrey QC’, Democratic Audit, 12 March 2014.
- (2014) ‘Same-day electoral registration would increase voter engagement and improve British democracy’, Democratic Audit, 3 March 2014.
- (2014) ‘Voter ID in Britain? A note of caution from academic research’, Left Foot Forward, 8 January 2014, (cited in the Daily Mail)
- (2013) ‘John Bercow to consider the case for internet voting in the UK. Is it a good idea?’, Eastminster, 27 November 2013.
- (2013) ‘Fixing elections: What the U.S. can learn from Britain’, Washington Post/ Monkey cage, 5 November 2013
- (2013) ‘Electoral Registration Changes Hit a Set-Back: A New Way Forward’, Huffington Post, 22 July 2013
- (2013) ‘Individual electoral registration still needs a lot of work, if it is not to be a car crash for British democracy’, Democratic Audit, 15th July 2013
- (2013) ‘Problems remain with US Election Administration’, Arena, Winter 2012/3.
- (2012) ‘Measures of Prime Ministerial performance indicate Tony Blair was a great leader but voters do not seem to be assessing him as kindly’, The London School of Economics and Politics British Politics and Policy Blog, 21st November 2012.
- (2012) ‘How could the PCC elections have been better run?’ Huffington Post, 15 November 2012
- (2012) ‘UK electoral law is fragmented, convoluted and causing errors in the running of elections. It needs to be consolidated’, The London School of Economics and Politics British Politics and Policy Blog, 20th September 2012.
- (2012) ‘Rising to the Transition Challenge’, The Local Government Chronicle, 28th June 2012.
- (2012) ‘Changes to electoral registration procedures may have significant implications for registration levels and electoral outcomes’, The London School of Economics and Politics British Politics and Policy Blog, 21 May 2012.
- (2012) ‘Voter registration: Lessons from America’, Electoral Reform Society Blog, 21 May 2012.
- (2012) ‘Voting for Police and Crime Commissioners could mean last minute elections on the cheap‘, The London School of Economics and Politics British Politics and Policy Blog, 4th April 2012.
- (2011) ‘UK electoral registration levels are already low by international standards, but new plans to change registration may make things even worse‘, The London School of Economics and Politics British Politics and Policy Blog, 13th December 2011.
- (2011) ‘Everyone Can Vote‘, 101 Ways to do Local Democracy, 13 October 2011.