Visit the referendums page for more information on our role in running referendums and reports on past referendums.
UK-wide referendum
The Government plans to hold a referendum on 5 May 2011 on changing the voting system for electing MPs to the UK Parliament.
We are in the process of assessing the proposed question. You can read more about this process in these documents:
* Referendum question assessment (PDF)
* Our referendum question guidelines (PDF)
The date of the voting system referendum
We have made a statement about the date of the referendum, which is the same same date that Scottish Parliamentary, Northern Ireland Assembly, Welsh Assembly and English local elections are scheduled to be held.
* Statement on voting at different polls on 5 May 2011
* Read our news release
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/elections/upcoming-elections-and-r...
PDF version
Plans to change the way MPs are elected have cleared the first Commons hurdle.
A bill introducing a referendum on changing the voting system, changes to constituency boundaries and fewer MPs, was backed by 328 votes to 269.
Labour says the changes would affect Labour-supporting areas and said the bill was "political skulduggery".
Tory opponents of the referendum said it could cost £100m but deputy PM Nick Clegg said it would restore "people's faith in the way they elect their MPs".
Despite criticism, the bill passed with a majority of 59 and a Labour bid to kill it off was defeated by 347 votes to 254.
To read more http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11192939