Quick Vote is a ‘North Korean approach’ to democracy, claims Lord Sumption

The 2023 National Trust AGM voting webpage showing the form for voting in the Council elections, with the Quick Vote box, which enables voters to choose all the Nominations Committee’s recommendations in one go, placed conveniently at the top. Voters who want to look at the names of the individual candidates need to scroll down to see them. We know from academic studies of similar practices that this placing of the Quick Vote box acts as a nudge which encourages voters to choose that option. This kind of practice has been shown to make a difference to the result of elections.

The Telegraph reports that Jonathan Sumption said that the National Trust’s use of the Quick Vote represents a “North Korean” approach to member democracy:

The former supreme court judge said the charity, which has Britain’s biggest membership, was disrespecting grassroots activists by making it more difficult to oppose its preferred policy direction.

A “quick vote” system used by the Trust for its annual meeting allows members to approve its annual report and choice of trustees with a single click, while selecting alternative options takes significantly longer.

Speaking to The House magazine, Lord Sumption said it had become “virtually impossible for somebody who is not endorsed by management” to win a place on the Trust’s council.

“National Trust members ought to be trusted, rather than treating them as children who need to be pulled by the nose in whatever direction the management thinks proper,” the peer said.

“It really is rather a North Korean approach.”