Voting Day

Voting Day

Its voting day in the UK.

5 reasons you should Vote

Voting Yeah! I know it is off branded and probably not something you be expect to see me harping on about on this blog but it is so important, for years I went out and voted but I was incredibly uninterested in politics.  When I reached the age of 18 and I had the right to vote! I still not did take the time to really educate myself on the subject at home! It is not something we are really taught in schools (I mean I knew what the parties were called and a little what I watched on TV but really little I know what their idea of their values or core messages was). Flash Forward and now and I have actually realised how it is important using my vote is.

Today I want to encourage you all to go out to register to vote as well as visit your local polling station. So here are 5 reasons why you should vote today....

It’s worth it.

While voting might seem like a chore, it really doesn't take all that long. Is a quick half an hour to and from the polling station? You have the power to make a difference that affects not only your life and the people and community around you.

The Youth Vote is underused

Often politics is not aimed at young people (but they sure are trying, Hello PM's Instagram feeds) but we have a voice and we should use it. Each party are spending thousands of pounds trying to appeal to us by using Twitter and Instagram (and failing miserably) to connect with us. They see how much power we could have if we just chose to vote. Politicians often cater their manifestos towards people who are more inclined to vote which is generally older people or people who have specific viewpoints. Year after year I see young people saying they won’t vote because it is not worth it or nothing will change. It’s sad but in the last General Election less than half of 18 to 24 year old's voted.

If you don’t vote nothing will change

If you don’t vote then stop complaining about how terrible you think the government is. Not voting means your part of the problem which lets an extreme party into power. If you don’t vote it’s like saying “Well I don’t really care what happens to my country”. Exercise your PRIVILEGE to vote. There are people in the world who are begging for the freedom to choose their own political powers and women fought so hard to make their opinion count. Don’t sit back and not bother at all because YES nothing will change.

Think of the future

Things happening in this general election will have a knock on effect in the future. Think about the world you’re going to grow up in or your children might grow up in. Topics like education funding, Fracking, employment and job training programs and health care all effect young people’s lives. Without having a say on these things now it can have a knock on effect in the future.

Your voice will be heard

Like I said the misconception of not voting because you think your opinions won't make a difference is so dumb. When your vote is mixed with other likeminded people’s votes that’s when things start to change. But in the same way if the only people who do turn up to vote are the passionate far right. The louder that voice grows and therefore is being heard and could potentially go into power. We're currently living in an age where an extremist party is getting almost as many votes in the polls as the big two parties. Vote because you can, we have a democracy for a reason and it only works if you actually do something about it rather than taking it for granted.

I am not going to tell you who to vote for because you have to work that one out for yourself. Educate yourself and just do it. Don’t think about doing it. Do not put it off. It’s really not that much effort.

SO GO TO THAT POLLING STATION AND BLOODY DO IT.

I get why people are disenchanted by Politics. I get why people are dissatisfied and disillusioned with the current state of affairs in the UK (or insert your country name here). But what I do not get is why young people are not actually voting or taking an active interest in the state of our country. If we do not look at our options and look towards change nothing will happen and we will just be where we are and never move forward.

Voting day is today

The bottom line is, you have the right to have a say in how your country is run! It is an absolute privilege to have and is so vital to our everyday lives. So just do it. Make the country a better place rather than blaming those who do vote for your poor choices.