Register to vote
At a general election, under the terms of the first past the post system, if you’re not fortunate enough to live in a marginal constituency, your vote is almost worthless, taken for granted.
However, the forthcoming European elections on June 4 are held under a proportional representation system which means your vote is worth as much as everyone else’s – getting off your arse and getting out to vote is actually worthwhile. Yes, it’s amazing, I know.
It means the smaller parties untainted by fascism, war crimes or scandal have a chance of winning seats. Votes for them isn’t the futile gesture it is at a general election. A higher turnout also means less chance of the BNP making further political progress. Yay Euro-democracy!
If you’re not registed to vote, you can register online at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk. You’ve got until May 19 to do it. Go!
Posted on May 14th, 2009 at 5:24pm under Activism, UK politics
| Related posts... • By the numbers • A Proportional Response • The Last Word (until the next one) |
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• 4 Comments |
the forthcoming European elections on May 4
I think someone’s been fiddling with the TARDIS’ temporal regulator again.
May, June. What’s a month in a banana republic? Fixed. Ta.
Hmm, that list of marginals is interesting. In a “not at all useful and horribly innaccurate while being factually correct” kind of way.
Not a single 3-way marginal listed, not a single minor party/Labour constituency, no Lib Dem/Tory constituencies…
Boundary changes put a lot more seats into contention as well. I think I need to get the motivation together to actually go through Anthony’s site and do a proper targetting analysis. Soon.
A proper list would be cool. I just wanted a quick representation of how, if you don’t live in a marginal, you’re unlikely to have a senior government figure visiting to tell you how important your vote is. Blair come to Hove twice during the 2005 campaign (he was in and out quick before the great unwashed got wind of it, mind.)