A snap General Election has been called!

On my day off on Tuesday 18^th April I calmly watched the news as it unfolded that Theresa May had called a snap General Election. It is so snap that it will happen in 50 days, more accurately on the 8^th of June.

Students and young people need to be on the agenda in the General Election. We’ve seen that politicians can feel able to ignore us when we aren’t registered to vote. But if registered, students across the UK can swing the vote. So let’s get registered and decide the election! Below you’ll find useful information on how to register, if you are eligible to register and how to vote when we get to the 8^th of June.

As this is a quick turn around period there really is not long for you to register so it is vital to do it as soon as possible. Good thing is – it only takes 5 minutes!

If you live in Scotland, England or Wales you can register to vote online via this link https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. If you live in Northern Ireland you need to follow the instructions here http://www.eoni.org.uk/Register-To-Vote/Register-to-vote-change-address-change-name.

Registering to vote can sometimes be slightly harder as a student for example you might be moving from halls to home. However it is still vital that you register!

We recommend that if you are unsure where you will be at the time of voting that you register at your home address but also register for a postal vote. If you wish to postal vote it is definitely recommended to do this sooner rather than later. For more information about postal voting https://www.gov.uk/voting-in-the-uk/postal-voting

Unfortunately we are not all eligible to vote in the General Election (cry). There are slightly different rules depending on different types of elections.

To be eligible to vote in the 2017 General Election you need

• To be registered to vote
• Be over 18 on the day of polling
• Be a British, Irish or Commonwealth Citizen

If you are in doubt about whether you are eligible to vote, please do get in touch with the Electoral Commission. You do not want to miss out on your vote if you are eligible.

Some international students are surprised that they are eligible to vote, so please do check if your home country is on the eligibility list https://www.yourvotematters.co.uk/can-i-vote/who-can-register-to-vote.

The deadline to get registered to vote is May 22^nd

Now I ask you – what do you want us to ask the politicians for? This is the time to lobby candidates to get what we, the students, want to see. Get in touch to let me know what you think their priorities should be to have maximum influence over who governs the UK.

There are some myths around voting and I wanted to make sure that we dissolve those

1. My vote won’t count

   Every vote counts in the election. Students have a real opportunity to make their voices heard but to do so you need to be registered and go vote. As this is a quick turn around it is essential to engage in conversations around what your priorities would be.

2. Politics isn’t relevant to me
   Every thing that we do is political. We will be electing the next government. They are the decision makers on areas such as tuition fees for universities and colleges. They pass laws on what the minimum living wage should be or how much tax you need to pay. This is relevant to everyone. Make sure your voice is heard.

It is a scary but also influential time ahead of us. We need to take the opportunity handed to us to shape what we want the UK to look like after the General Election. It is your time to be heard, so don’t waste a second, go get registered!

Any questions please get in touch with Heidi Vistisen, your Student President via hvistisen@qmu.ac.uk