Why vote?
A General Election gives people the opportunity to choose who runs the country, we do this by voting in the people we want to represent us, an election normally happens every five years and is a really big deal for the hundreds of polticians who want to represent us in parliament.
When we have an election the questions voters usually ask are:
Has my MP done a good job?
How have the Government done?
What are the different parties offering?
Which party wants the same things as I do?
Most people over the age of 18 have the chance to make a decision about these questions and have their say in how the UK is going to be run for the next 5 years. It's important that people turn out to vote as the decisions made by those elected will have a big impact on our lives. Wouldn't you want them to know what you think!?
Untitled from Cit Ed, Hansard Society on Vimeo.
How do I vote?
First things first, you need to be on the electoral register. You can register here. It's really important to register becayse if you aren't on the electoral register you cannot vote. The Electoral Commission (the organisation that oversees elections in the UK) published a recent report showing that over half (56%) of young people aged 18-24 are not registered so wouldn't get to have their say.
Who do I vote for?
When we vote for our MP, we are voting for the person we want to represent our views in Parliament, to learn more on the UK Parliament system click here.
Every party has a different views on topics such as Education, the Economy and the NHS, to learn a bit more about each party check out click here.
Where do I vote?
You can cast your vote in your local area. To find out more go to the About My Vote website and type in your postcode.