Wednesday 5 February 2014

Stephen Metcalfe MP encourages young people to Bite the Ballot and register to vote

Stephen Metcalfe, local MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, is encouraging young people to register to vote as part of Bite the Ballot’s National Voter Registration Day which falls on 5th February.

Bite the Ballot is a politically-neutral social enterprise on a mission to empower young voters and focuses on encouraging engagement in politics starting with increasing voter registration amongst 16-25 year olds.

Their primary aim is to register and engage the 4,000,000 young people who are currently not registered or represented before the next general election; those who are furthest away from politics. Once engaged, young people will have the power to vote - or abstain - at the next general election in 2015.

From 2014, it will be an annual day of action in which Bite the Ballot’s partners, which include the NUS, Teach First, ASDA, US partners Rock the Vote and hundreds of smaller youth groups, will be involved in activities in schools, universities and local communities. On the day, each partner will have a Bite the Ballot station set up and volunteers will be on hand to get as many people registered and talking about politics as possible.

With the advent of individual electoral registration in 2014, heads of households will no longer register young people to vote which means the UK’s democratic deficit is at risk of increasing. Bite the Ballot is doing something about this on a large scale.

Stephen Metcalfe MP commented: “I am delighted to be supporting Bite the Ballot’s National Voter Registration Day. Young people have the power to make a real difference to politics and we as politicians should do all we can to engage them in this process.” 

“Change isn’t going to happen overnight but I hope that initiatives such as this will inspire people in South Basildon and East Thurrock to register to vote and make their voice heard at the next general election.”