The topic of politics tends to be a conversation starter or stopper, and, although it may seem a very boring fact, the next General Election will be held in Britain on Thursday 7th May 2015. This only happens every four years and determines which political party will run the country until the next election. It can influence a host of things: from aspects of our day-to-day lives to our healthcare system and our tuition fees. So, with important issues like these that you have the right to change, have you registered yet to take part and vote? Whether you are unsure or are just looking for a little encouragement, here are five reasons to get you thinking about why you should register to vote:
1. Exercising
Women in the UK finally received the right to vote in 1928; so it’s barely been a hundred years since women have been able to vote in Britain. Suffragettes would starve themselves in protest in order to try and get the vote for women; they were then imprisoned for protesting and force-fed in a violent manner. It can’t all have been for nothing! The freedom we have to vote today, something that we may now take for granted, was fought for, and there are women in some countries today who are still fighting for it. Also, currently there are only five women holding positions in Cabinet. This means that the government is still a male dominated environment, surely all the more reason for you to exercise your right to vote?
2. ‘They’re all just as bad as each other’
Some people say ‘all the parties sound the same’ or ‘all the parties are just as bad as each other’. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, and certainly no party is perfect. However, some time spent reading the manifestos for each party will allow you to vote with an informed judgement and give you an idea of the kind of issues that are important to you. Also, if you don’t vote, you miss out on the chance to have your say.
3. Have your say
Last year in the Leeds local elections, a shockingly small amount of students voted, with well under a third voting in student areas in Leeds. We make up a large part of the population in Leeds; there are just over 30,000 students at Leeds University alone and around a quarter of a million students in Leeds as a whole. Making up such a significant part of society and of Britain’s future, we should definitely take up the opportunity to choose who is in charge of the running of the country.
4. Before it’s too late…
The deadline for registering to vote has not been announced yet and registering can be stopped at any time up until voting day, sometimes up to seventeen days before. So if you intend to vote, register as soon as you can to ensure that you will be able to vote.
5. Your choice, your vote, your right
If you are unhappy with the way things are currently going in Britain, in one way or another, your vote can influence the change you want to see and can contribute to greater changes in the future. Your vote is yours; you have the right and choice to exercise it. Remember, however, that the General Election only happens once every four years! Also, you can only vote once, whether at home or at university, so you’ll have to make it count!
However, if it’s the registering process that’s scaring you off, registering to vote is a surprisingly easy process and, when it comes to voting day next year, you can vote in a number of different ways.
Ultimately, whether you want to vote or not is up to you, these are just a few reasons to help you in making up your mind. No list can be exhaustive, and for many their vote is something personal, as your vote is confidential.
If you do want to register to vote, you can find out how to do so here: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Or for more information about voting as a student, have a look here:
http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/register-to-vote/students
Image Sources:
http://womazing.com/2014/07/23/beyonce-we-can-do-it/
http://feimineach.com/quickhits/missing-women-its-time-for-legislative-quotas-in-british-politics/