Young People, Vote Otherwise No-One Will Represent You
Okay, we get it. People are always harping on about how important it is to vote. But they are right. Important: the local elections are coming up on May 3. Even more important: to vote you have to register by April 17. Look, just register please? Let’s talk about it…
Although more young people have been voting in recent elections, it’s still just not good enough tbh. Only 57 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds voted in the last general election, the lowest of any age group. And it was even less in the last local election. Okay, we admit it: local elections are not as sexy as the general ones. Or even, say, a Buzzfeed quiz on your favourite cats. But there are many reasons that voting in any election is a good idea. Firstly, this…
*political debate taking place*
Person 1: ‘Well, did you vote?’
Person 2: ‘No, but I just think that healthcare should be…’
Person 1: ‘Aha, gotya! Your opinion doesn’t matter. You didn’t even vote. You missed your chance to do something about it. Bye.’
Sometimes it’s hard to get into political debates, or disagree with someone else’s political view, if you didn’t vote yourself. Your ops will always have the old, ‘Well, did you vote?’ argument to fall back on. This, they feel, will expose you as a hypocrite. Of course, it isn’t right that someone’s political views should become irrelevant, like your grandparent’s opinions on when you should get married, if they haven’t voted. But voting means that no-one, with no valid points, can use this rubbish argument against you.
Secondly, it’s actually really easy to vote. You can do it in three very simple steps: 1) You register to vote online – which involves filling in your name and address and takes approximately the same time that it takes to make a cup of tea. Note: You have to do this before 17 April, remember. 2) You go to your closest polling station, which is almost certainly going to be your local primary school, where someone who looks like a school governor will cross your name off a list using a Sharpie. 3) You go to the booth, like a tiny little phone box, pick up a pencil – which is attached to the booth using sellotape and string – and put an ‘X’ in the box next to the name of the person who you want to run your endz.
Boom. Job’s a good’un. You can go on your way safe in the knowledge that you have saved the world. Does someone keep nicking the pencils, meaning that they must always be tethered to the cramped cubicle? We don’t know, but one thing we do know: It’s very easy to vote in your local election.
Finally, we come to the most important point here: If more young people turned out to vote they could really help shape the future of British politics. The people – who presumably wear cardigans most of the time – making important decisions about the future of the country would pay more attention to the needs of young people. That’s a fact.
We guess it comes down to this: You want politicians who know what’s important to you and care about issues that affect you, right? So, vote. Register to vote now. Turn out to vote and tell all your mates to do the same. Scream ‘VOTE, VOTE NOWWW!’ in the direction of oncoming traffic.
DISCLAIMER: Ummahsonic neither condones nor promotes playing with traffic.
Featured image credit: Wikimedia Commons
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