Flex your political muscle
05 June 2017
“It is important that young people are empowered to engage with Politics, because it gives us a chance to experience situations out of our comfort zone and opportunities to spread knowledge to our communities and peers.”
Zak from our youth advisory board, Dare London
On 8th June, the whole country will be heading to the voting booths to cast their vote in the 2017 General Election. Around 75% of people aged 65 and over are predicted to cast their vote in this election; however only 42% of 18 to 24 year olds are predicted to do the same. Our Head of Youth Action, Terry Boyce, gives his three reasons as to why young people should step out and join the millions of others casting their vote on Thursday!
Understanding party politics is now easier than ever!
If you’re undecided about which political party to vote for, then fear not, there are now a range of different websites and apps to help you decide.
whoshouldyouvotefor.com and isidewith.com are just two websites that give you a breakdown of what each political party is offering, so you can make an informed decision on 8th June.
You get to vote on local issues!
The General Election isn’t just to an opportunity to elect a Prime Minister. It’s a chance to elect a local MP who will represent your community in Parliament. Think about what local issues matter to you and find out where your local candidates stand on it by using the Find My Seat tool on this website
It’s an opportunity to flex your political muscle!
When laws are created or changed, Parliament will try to please those who vote for them. In previous elections young people have voted in lower numbers than older people, so sometimes the issues that matter the most to young people haven’t been represented by the government. By voting, you can change this and ensure MPs take young people’s views into account. Read more about what each party is promising on this BBC page.
Feeling convinced?
There’s one more important thing that you can do to ensure young people have the power in this election and that’s remind your peers to get out there too. Why not share this blog on your social media page, or arrange a group trip to your local polling station? You could even use this as an opportunity to persuade your friends to vote for the party that you’ve decided on!
And finally if you are passionate about politics but under 18, you can still get your voice heard. The Jack Petchey Foundation has created a cool survey that will give under-18s a voice after the election.
So if there’s one thing you’ll do this Thursday, make sure it’s getting to your local polling station and voting!
